Talk:spinal chord
Spinal chord is the etymologically-correct spelling. According to the University of Pennsylvania's Language Log https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4177: >>The OED explains that cord meaning "a string or small rope" is "a 16th cent. refashioning" of chord n.1 from Latin chorda, Greek χορδή. On the other hand, chord meaning "agreement of musical sounds" is "[o]riginally cord, aphetic form of accord n., q.v.; the 17th cent. spelling chord arose from confusion with chord n.1" (which of course is what we now mostly spell "cord"). This all seems to have been in play before the standardization of English spelling — but unlike many similar confusions, it apparently was never fully resolved. Some residues remain, like the "chord" (or "cord") of an arc, or the "chord" of an airplane's wing. It's interesting that this does not seem to have become a serious irritant for peevers. After all, essentially everyone is Doing It Wrong, at least from an etymological point of view: cord should be "chord" and chord should be "cord".<<
For over two centuries, scientist refused to give in to the popular misspellings, choosing to remain true to the Latin etymology. Even today, it's notochord, not notocord; and chordata, not cordata.
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