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Can someone help me understand why "treble" means triple? I know it's technically correct, but why in the world would we use the word "treble" when triple is so
by matt_wulfeck 10y ago
Can someone help me understand why "treble" means triple? I know it's technically correct, but why in the world would we use the word "treble" when triple is so much better? Even triple has the right prefix.
- magicbeanss 10y agoTreble comes from Old French, while triple comes from Latin. They mean exactly the same thing, and both words started as "triplus" in Latin. "Treble" is more commonly used in British English. In American English the word is used only in musical contexts.
- mikecb 10y agoAnd legal, but that's the common law coming through.
- mason55 10y agoIt's frequently used in law contexts as well in American English ("treble damages")
- twic 10y agoIt may be more commonly used in British than in American, but even in British, i think it's less commonly used than 'triple'. For me, a native British speaker, the only things that are ever treble are twenties, whiskies, and clefs.
- toyg 10y agoYou must be upper-class. The only treble that working-class Brits know, is when you win the Premier League and two other cups in the same season.
- CalRobert 10y ago"It may be more commonly used in British than in American" What is this American you speak of? Perhaps it's the unique dialect of Spanish spoken in southern California? Or the Canadian French spoken in bits of northeastern North America? Or the dialect of English spoken in Belize?
- arcticfox 10y agoAnd also fish hooks in American English (treble hooks). The demographics of people knowing the definition of treble would be an interesting slice!
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- sandworm101 10y agoBy my mind, 'treble' is more associated with amount (3 x some value) while triple means three objects (3 of something). I don't know about dictionaries, but that's how I understand and use the words.
- 946789987649 10y agodouble -> treble? Only reasoning I can think of. Why do we use double? Who knows.
- hartpuff 10y ago> Even triple has the right prefix. Unlike, say, three?
- ZeroGravitas 10y agoIt's basically the same word. Just spelling/pronouncation getting corrupted down the years as it went latin-french-english.
- fourthark 10y agoThe top thread on HN is always a digression.
- na85 10y agoHow could it not be? The site culture here encourages pedantry.
- matt_wulfeck 10y agoIn my defense it was a comment on a comment, and I was genuinely curious.