a1628: Re: spelling of vodou/voodoo (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Bryant <gregandsusan@rainbowtel.net>

I think Kathy's right. To my ear there are two terms being used, one
(voodoo) by people like GHW Bush ("voodoo economics") and by Hollywood, and
the other (vodou) by practitioners of vodou and by non-practitioners who
want to show respect for the religion. (I'm also assuming that the spelling
difference reflects a pronunciation difference.) I think owing to their
different usage AND different pronunciation, they are actually two
different words, and encouraging a different spelling is appropriate,
though I wouldn't make much of a politically correct thing of it. I agree
with Bob that usage is what determines this sort of thing (description not
prescription), but it seems to me that in the case of vodou/voodoo there's
a real difference already. If a writer wants to be underestood, why
wouldn't she want to use the spelling (or I'd say, use the word) that is
appropriate to her intent?

Greg Bryant