Leaf Spelling Dictionary

Does emarginate double its r?

stress-doubleDoubling a consonant is how English marks a short stressed vowel. The stressed vowel in emarginate is followed by an r, and nothing else in the word is stressed at all.

heard asemarrginate
spelledemarginate
saidee-MAR-jin-ut

No. One r.

This is where the stress falls, which is why the hand wants to double something here. But the vowel is already long and dark before the r, and English does not double a consonant after that kind of vowel. Compare margin, marginal and marginalia, none of which double it either.

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