ENABLE vs. DOOM


[Note:  This file was included in the first edition of ENABLE, and is
mostly unchanged in ENABLE2K.  In a few cases, where ENABLE2K differs
from its predecessor, the differences are noted in brackets.]

The NSA updated "Tournament Word List" (TWL98) is to be the official
reference for tournament and club Scrabble (r) play. The operators of the
DOOM Scrabble server originally compiled this list, and it has undergone
an update by an official "Dictionary Committee". Unfortunately, this
TWL98 list remains proprietary and it is, despite promises to the
contrary, available only to a small group of insiders. Our aim in
distributing the Public Domain ENABLE list is to provide a very necessary
resource and reference to the rest of the Scrabble community.

In spring of 1997, Mendel was approached by an individual known to us only
as Deep Glottides, offering him a number of arcane items of dubious value,
including shards of the True Cross, an edition of the Necronomicon in the
original Arabic, an exotic ebony statuette of a Mediterranean bird of prey,
and an absolutely amazing way to MAKE MONEY FAST! While he found these items
uninteresting, Mendel did accept the offer of a list of corrections to the
then-current draft of the ENABLE list, supposedly derived from the contents
of the DOOM list. Of course, we have no way of verifying the bona fides of
these corrections; the hypothesis that they are instead code words used by
the black helicopter division of the Insect Trust delegates from the Crab
Nebula cannot be ruled out. However, using highly advanced UNIX (tm)
software, we were able to reconstruct the list on which they were based.
This list proved to be a highly accurate approximation to the union of
OSPD (r) and MW10, and we consider it very likely that it is in fact a
faithful copy of the DOOM list current at that time. This file lists the
differences between that list and the ENABLE list (not including signature
words).

The differences between the DOOM list and ENABLE fall into four categories:

I.  MW10 changes

These words were added or removed solely on the basis of their presence or
absence in MW10. None of the listings is in any way ambiguous or suggestive
of an error in MW10. The word "coresidenttial" was not added, since it is
clearly a typographical error.

DOOM words removed from ENABLE (MW10)

fricandeaux (*)
kafkaesque

(*) "fricandeaux" has been added to the ENABLE list as a signature word.
It is accepted by other dictionaries.

non-DOOM words added to ENABLE (MW10)

edutainment
edutainments
homeschool
homeschooled
homeschooler
homeschoolers
homeschooling
homeschools
hypoglycemics
maquiladora
maquiladoras
mediterranean
philharmonic
philharmonics
upgradabilities
upgradability
upgradable
upgradeability
upgradeable
victimologies
victimologist
victimologists
victimology


II.  TWL98 words

The status of these words was changed by TWL98. We anticipate these changes
will be reflected in the DOOM list, and possibly already are. Note that some
published TWL98 changes are not listed here, because these changes were
already reflected in the DOOM list as of Spring 1997 (e.g., the false word
"nonfinites" could not be removed because it was not present). Also, one
version of the TWL98 changes mandated the removal of the word "suboptimum",
which we ignored since the word is clearly present in MW10, and this change
was not confirmed by other accounts of TWL98.

DOOM words removed from ENABLE (TWL98)

alkalosises
anopheleses
antiradars
antishocks
antismokes
antisolars
antitumors
antiwomen
arterites
arteritises
beachwears
cacoetheses
cafetoria
chlorosises
cocksfeet
da
dei
des
enterites
fluorosises
footwears
franglaises
gastrites
gastritises
glossites
glossitides
halitosises
hanguls
heterosises
hybridomata
impatienses
interflowed
interflowing
interflows
interfolded (*)
interfolding (*)
interfolds (*)
interzones
kev
knitwears
laminites
laminitides
lezes
licenti
literatuses
lycopodia
menswears
multilanes
multipaths
multipoles
neckwears
nephrosises
nightlives
nonanimals
nonbuyings
noncakings
noncareers
nonchurches
noncounties
nondeserts
nonedibles
nonenergies
nonexempts
nonfossils
nonghettos
nongrowths
nonimpacts
noninjuries
nonkoshers
nonleagues
nonlivings
nonmarkets
nonrubbers
nonrulings
nonsexuals
nonspeeches
nontariffs
outerwears
overwearied
overwearies
overwearying
parotites
parotitides
phlebites
phlebitises
playwears
postfaults
predinners
preflights
premarketed
premarketing (*)
premarkets
prereturned
prereturning
prereturns
prereviewed
prereviewing
prereviews
preseasons (*)
prestricken
prestrikes
prestriking
prestruck
presummits
pretraveled
pretraveling
pretravelled
pretravelling
pretravels
proptosises
rainwears
reticulums
retinitises
sauterneses
sclerosises
silicosises
sinusites
sinusitides
skiwears
sleepwears
straphanged
strid
suboptima
subvisuals
superriches
supersizes
swimwears
synovites
synovitides
teniasises
testatrixes
townwears
trapeziums
ultralefts
ultrariches
underwears
utriculuses
vaginites
vaginitides
vin
vins
von
womenkinds
zamindaries
zemindaris

(*) These words are present in the ENABLE list as signature words.
Despite their rejection by TWL98, they appear to us to be reasonably valid.
Note that "premarketing" is actually listed in MW10.

[ENABLE2K lists "premarketing" as a base word, not a signature word, as
it has become clear that the statement that TWL98 removed it was simply
an error.  ENABLE2K also lists "vaginitides", based on its appearance
in the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary.]

non-DOOM words added to ENABLE (TWL98)

acervulus
aerobrake
aerobraked
aerobrakes
aerobraking
anthelion
anthelions
anthodium
antimycin
antimycins
backdropt
backstab
backstabbed
backstabs
bassett
bassetts
bedsit
bedsits
booklouse
bronchium
caldarium
calyculus
chalazion
chalazions
chemo
chemos
cocaptained
cocaptaining
cocksfoots
cocounseled
cocounseling
cocounselled
cocounselling
cocultured
coculturing
cofeatured
cofeaturing
cohostessed
cohostessing
copartnered
copartnering
copresented
copresenting
copresents
credendum
ctenidium
cubiculum
declaw
declawed
declawing
declaws
epicedium
esthetics
ferretings
finalise
finalised
finalises
finalising
flabellum
gallamine
gallamines
gammadion
gelsemium
gelsemiums
gynaeceum
gynaecium
hospitium
ignorami
iller
illest
imaginaries
latte
lattes
lepidotes
lezzes
louvred
lycopodiums
macadamia
macadamias
maglevs
malleolus
mazaedium
microbrew
microbrews
misstricken
misstriking
misstruck
nightlifes
nonmutants (*)
oasthouse
oasthouses
overcleaned (*)
overcleaning (*)
overcleans (*)
overdried (*)
overdries (*)
overdriven (*)
overdriving (*)
overdrove (*)
overdrying (*)
overlighted
petrale
petrales
phelonion
phelonions
photostatted
photostatting
pineals
platyfish
platyfishes
pocketsful
ponderosa
ponderosas
premixt
preshrunken
pterygium
pterygiums
pyrolize
pyrolized
pyrolizes
pyrolizing
redtail
redtails
retiarius
rhytons
samaritans
sarmentum
scintillae
septarium
sevruga
sevrugas
sextarius
silkies
slaphappier
slaphappiest
sleepover
sleepovers
smoothes
spaetzles
sporozoon
starfruit
starfruits
superfirms
superhyped
superhyping
supermini
superminis
sympodium
technicals
teniases
trapezii
treenware
treenwares
tricyclics
trihedron
trihedrons
trochilus
trochlears
unguentum
unhealthier
unhealthiest
unsell
unselling
unsells
unsightlier
unsightliest
vestigium
voguer
voguers
whinging
yellowfin
yellowfins

(*) Accounts of the TWL98 changes varied concerning these words. They were
described as both added and removed. Since they were not present as of
Spring 1997, and since they all seemed to be perfectly valid inflections, we
added them to the ENABLE list.

[In ENABLE2K, the words "bassett" and "bassetts" were dropped; their
inclusion was based on an error in MW10 which has now been corrected.
Similarly, the words "starfruit" and "starfruits" have been removed from
the latest edition of MW10, and should be removed from the main ENABLE
word list the next time it is revised.]


III.  "also called" words

These words are words shown in italics in MW10 entries for other words.
TWL98 legitimizes these words, even though it only catalogued those shorter
than 10 letters.

non-DOOM words added to ENABLE (also called)

buffalofish
buffalofishes
colorpoint
colorpoints
cyclicalities
cyclicality
diamondbacks
dolphinfish
dolphinfishes
ellipticals
exponentials
greaseproofs
handyperson
handypersons
hypoglossals
incandescents
largemouth
largemouths
maidenhair
maidenhairs
parainfluenza
parainfluenzas
photomultiplier
reflectivities
reflectivity
scissortail
scissortails
smallmouth
smallmouths
streetlamp
streetlamps
trigeminals
tsutsugamushi

[In ENABLE2K, the implied plural of "tsutsugamushi", "tsutsugamushis",
was also added.]


IV.  Interpretations

One of the dirty secrets of Scrabble (tm) is that the official source for
resolution of word validity, MW10, is incapable of resolving all such
questions.  The primary reason for this is the MW10 practice of including
lists of words starting with a particular prefix, such as anti- or non-,
without providing part of speech information.  This makes it impossible to
decide, on the basis of MW10 alone, whether "antitakeovers", for example, is
a valid word or not.

To resolve such questions, it is necessary to go to other sources, such as
the Hasbro Scrabble (tm) CD-ROM and other dictionaries, and then to use good
judgment and "word sense" to decide.  (The Random House Unabridged dictionary
proved especially helpful here, since it provides similar word lists having
a large intersection with the MW10 lists, and also provides part of speech
information.)  In many cases, our judgment on these questions disagreed with
that of the compilers of the DOOM list.  Can we claim that our judgments were
always correct?  Well, of course we can.  That's called "marketing"!  More
realistically, we claim we have considered each putative word on its merits,
and have always tried to make a careful and thoughtful decision.  At the very
least, we hope we have avoided absurdities such as the abominable
"nonpolices" and "ultrariches" (words rightly rejected by TWL98, but
accepted by the Hasbro CD-ROM and, in the case of "ultrariches", by the DOOM
list as well).

For each word listed below, we explain our rationale for accepting or
rejecting the word.  Note that no words are listed where we reached the same
conclusions as the DOOM list, but be assured that these words were examined
as carefully as those where there was disagreement.


DOOM words removed from ENABLE (interpretations)

antitakeovers
    An obvious nonsense word, despite acceptance by Hasbro CD and RH
    Unabridged.
beautifuler
    Not listed in MW10, accepted by the Hasbro CD.  This word
    proved very controversial.  MW10, in its introduction, does not
    claim to list all -er and -est forms, only those whose spelling
    might be in doubt.  So its absence from MW10 does not, in itself,
    prove it invalid.  But I claim the following:  (a)  No dictionary
    that I have been able to check lists this form, and (b) if a
    single-word comparative form of beautiful exists, it would be
    "beautifuller".  (If one looks at the -ful words in OSPD for
    which a comparative form is listed, one finds they all double
    the "l".)  Finally, I note that neither the DOOM list nor the
    Hasbro CD lists the putative superlative "beautifulest".  (While
    English has the occasional word with a superlative but no comparative,
    I'm unaware of any examples of the opposite sort.)  Mendel feels
    that there is a tradition of accepting this word, and recalls
    having seen arguments for it, though he cannot reconstruct them.
    Accordingly, "beautifuler" (and the implied "beautifulest") have
    been added to ENABLE as signature words despite the impossibility
    of justifying them on the basis of MW10.
    [During the research for the second edition of the ENABLE2K
    Supplement, two additional facts about "beautifuler" turned up.
    First the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (NI3) lists it, as
    well as the corresponding superlative; this is doubtless the original
    justification for including the word in the DOOM list.  Additionally,
    the fourth edition of the American Heritage dictionary notes its
    existence as "obsolete" and, interestingly enough, spells it with a
    double "l".]

endocardites
    Rejected based on OSPD's listing of "carditises" as the only
    plural of "carditis".  Since "carditis" is not listed by MW10,
    the OSPD listing seems to be the best information available on
    pluralization of words with this root.
endocarditides
    See "endocardites".  [ENABLE2K allows "carditides", a plural listed
    by the MW Medical Dictionary.  MW Medical does not, however, list
    "endocarditides", so this word remains removed.]
enterocolites
    Rejected based on OSPD's listing of "colitises" as the only
    plural of "colitis".  Plurals such as this one present a difficult
    problem.  Based on MW10 alone, one would admit this plural, since
    OSPD gives no explicit pluralization, and the general -itis entry
    allows -ites and -itides as well as -itises.  However, OSPD shows
    only the plural "colitises" for "colitis".  OSPD was compiled by
    Merriam-Webster, and presumably would have included "colites" and
    "colitides" if they were legitimate.  Therefore, we have decided
    to follow the lead of OSPD in such cases.
enterocolitides
    See "enterocolites".
gastroenterites
    Rejected based on TWL98's removal of the root form "enterites".
heterozyogises
    Rejected based on OSPD's listing of "zygoses" as the only plural
    of "zygosis".  See "enterocolites".
homozygosises
    See "enterocolites".
hyperhidrosises
    See "enterocolites".  OSPD shows only the plural "hidroses" for
    "hidrosis".
loungewears
    Rejected due to TWL98's condemnation of all -wears plurals.
lymphadenites
    See "enterocolites".  OSPD shows only the plural "adenitises" for
    "adenitis".
lymphadenitides
    See "enterocolites".
myelofibrosises
    See "enterocolites".  OSPD shows only the plural "fibroses" for
    "fibrosis".
myocardites
    See "endocardites".
myocarditides
    See "endocardites".
nonghettoes
    TWL98 removes "nonghettos" on the grounds that "nonghetto" is not
    a noun.  So "nonghettoes" has to go too.
otosclerosises
    Rejected due to TWL98's rejection of the root form "sclerosises"
pericardites
    When OSPD and MW10 appeared to be in conflict about the plurals of
    diseases (see "endocardites"), other sources were consulted.  Actually,
    very few sources *could* be consulted, since virtually no one other
    than a few crazed Scrabble (tm) players believes that diseases even have
    plurals.   However, the Merriam-Webster Unabridged does accept them.
    Though it was not helpful for any other of the troublesome disease
    words, MW Unabridged does show "pericarditides" as the only plural of
    "pericarditis".  Since this was an explicit entry, we decided it
    overrode the implications of both MW10 and OSPD, and accordingly
    included only "pericarditides" in ENABLE.
pericarditises
    See "pericardites".
saccharomyceses
    Supposedly the plural of "saccharomyces".  MW10 defines two other
    -myces words, both of which have plurals identical to the singular
    form.  Also, American Heritage shows "saccharomyces" as unchanged
    in the plural.  Accordingly, we made a judgment call that this
    unnatural-looking plural is an error, and removed it from the
    ENABLE list.
scaramouchs
    Rejected as an obvious offense to the English language, since the
    "ch" in scarmouch is a soft ch, not a hard one as in "oligarch".
schmaltzier
    Not listed by MW10, but accepted by the other major American
    dictionaries.  Added to ENABLE as signature word.
schmaltziest
    See "schmaltzier".
sportswears
    Rejected due to TWL98's condemnation of all -wears plurals.
tenosynovites
    Rejected based on TWL98's rejection of the root form "synovites".
tenosynovitides
    See "tenosynovites".
ultrarights
    Accepted by the Hasbro CD, but removed from ENABLE by analogy with
    "ultralefts", which is rejected by TWL98.
vulvovaginites
    Rejected based on TWL98's rejection of the root form "vaginites".


non-DOOM words added to ENABLE (interpretations)

antefixae
    This word is given explicitly as a plural of "antefix" by MW10.
    OSPD and MW Unabridged reject this plural, and give "antefixa"
    in its place (as does American Heritage).  This may be evidence
    that "antefixae" is erroneous.  Nevertheless, not having the
    resources or experience to second-guess Merriam-Webster on this
    point, we decided to take MW10 at face value, and added "antefixae"
    to the ENABLE list.  [The Encarta(r) dictionary confirms "antefixae"
    as a valid plural of "antefix".  However, as a plural not listed in
    OSPD, we treat "antefixae" as a new MW10 word, rather than as an
    OSPD word.]
anticolonials
    Accepted by RH Unabridged, rejected by the Hasbro CD.  Judgment
    call.
antisubversives
    Judgment call.
begirting
    This word is given explicitly as the present participle of "begird"
    by MW10.  OSPD and MW Unabridged (and American Heritage) instead
    give a more regular "begirding".  Again, possibly an error in MW10.
    Not being expert in the conjugation of archaic verbs, once more we
    have put our trust in the scolarship of MW10 and accepted "begirting".
    [The 1999 edition of MW10 removes "begirting".  Accordingly, we have
    removed it from ENABLE2K.]
chlorenchymata
    A plural of "chlorenchyma", by virtue of the MW10 -enchyma entry.
interboroughs
    Accepted by both RH Unabridged and the Hasbro CD.
interurbans
    Accepted by both RH Unabridged and the Hasbro CD.
interworkings
    Accepted by the Hasbro CD.
interwrought
    Past tense of "interwork", accepted by RH Unabridged, rejected
    by the Hasbro CD.  Accepted as clearly implied by MW10.
nonalcoholics
    Accepted by both RH Unabridged and the Hasbro CD.
nonchemicals
    Accepted by both RH Unabridged and the Hasbro CD.
noncomplyings
    Accepted by both RH Unabridged and the Hasbro CD.
noncompounds
    Accepted by the Hasbro CD.
nondiabetics
    Accepted by the Hasbro CD.
nonperishables
    Accepted by both RH Unabridged and the Hasbro CD.
overlighting
    TWL98 adds "overlighted", implying that "overlighting" is also valid.
    Also, the OSPD entry for "overlit" implies the existence of the verb
    "overlight".
parenchymata
    A plural of "parenchyma", by virtue of the MW10 -enchyma entry.
precomputers
    Accepted by the Hasbro CD.
predischarged
    Accepted by RH Unabridged, rejected by the Hasbro CD.  Judgment call.
predischarging
    See "predischarged".
presentencings
    Accepted by the Hasbro CD.
ultraheated
    Accepted by the Hasbro CD.
ultraheating
    See "ultraheated".
ultraheats
    See "ultraheated".
ultraradicals
    Accepted by both RH Unabridged and the Hasbro CD.


---
Scrabble is a trademark of the Milton Bradley Co., Inc.
The OSPD is a trademark of the Milton Bradley Co., Inc.
Encarta is a trademark of the Microsoft Corp.
UNIX is a trademark of AT & T.




---Alan Beale