What’s With the Words Containing Paired U’s?

Merriam Webster Dictionary lists fifty-four (54) words* containing the occurrence of “uu” in their spelling. Most of us readily recognize one of them: vacuum. But why does it require two U’s? In this case we can blame the Romans and the writers which followed their era who adopted many of the Latin words into their own languages. Yes, those scripture copying monks in the English speaking world likely bear the responsibility for the occurrence in English.

In short, the source word for our vacuum was “vacuus” meaning empty. But wait, you say, isn’t that what vacuum means? You are right. The “uus” portion was the Latin-speaking world’s way of saying “having the condition of.” But then, of course, we come to the thing we use to suck up the dirt from our floors, etc. You can figure this one out on your own, surely, but you can blame scientific thought.

Continuum is another Latin-sourced word that punctuates English now and then. It comes from “continuare,” meaning to hold together or connect (as in a chain—uninterrupted). The “uum” portion essentially matching the definition given above. Its relative “continuous” is the English-speaking world’s reframing for “continuus” of the original Latin meaning the same.

One of the double u words listed by Merriam Webster is “ambiguus” which most of us spell as “ambiguous.” The former spelling is used, like many Latin-based words, to name a part of human anatomy. In this case the word indicates that the part so labeled is “difficult to find.” Both spellings come from “ambi” meaning both and “agere” to drive. In other words, going in two directions, also interpreted as going in circles. Oh, joy, I bet you think that is just what I have done.

Ambiguously, the words residue and residuum both mean the same, yet still exist separately. Why? Residue, the word most of us stumble over fairly often just means any remainder. The second word gets more specific and carries a hint of negativity associated with the processes of combustion or evaporation. This suggests to me that residuum is ephemeral, disappearing even as it is born.

So far, Latin has been the reason for the double “u” spelling, but the Pacific Islanders give us another from their language, “muumuu.” Properly spelled “mu’u mu’u” apparently meant “cut off” because it was a originally a chemise like blouse worn beneath a yoked gown (holoku which translates to outer garment). Both were forced on the islanders by the invading (and flesh embarrassed) Christian missionaries. But, the people of Hawaii, being independent minded, and probably overheated by the layering, combined the two into one garment, the one we now know well.

Maybe one day I will tackle why English changed the original Latin “uus” to “ous” or “uous.” Okay, enough. I will let youu (hee hee) explore the rest on yuur own.

*Includes root words and the adjectives, adverbs, etc. based on those roots.

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