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From: jlg@lanl.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: My last word on "LENSE"
Message-ID: <21179@lanl.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 7-Feb-85 00:29:51 EST
Article-I.D.: lanl.21179
Posted: Thu Feb  7 00:29:51 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Feb-85 07:17:37 EST
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Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
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> -----------------------------     
> Believe it or not, Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (Merriam-Webster,
> 1983) lists "lens also lense".  I was amazed.  I still wince when I see the
> less-standard form.

It was probably always spelled 'lense'.  Daniel Webster himself probably
introduced the 'lens' spelling as part of his spelling reform campaign.
A way of testing this is to ask our British readers which spelling they
use most - the british remain mostly immune to Websterisms.

J. Giles

Theatre => Theater
Colour  => Color
...
Thanks Daniel (I think)