Therefore versus Therefor

[Jenny AU-92 0]

I was one criticized on this board for my spelling of "therefor" versus "therefore". Today, I finally got an answer to this conundrum. It all depends on context, as BOTH words are real and have distincly different meanings.

In my work as a contracts negotiator, "therefor", which means "in exhange for" is most appropriate. "...written requests or agreements will be required with respect to certain details such as the specific Work to be done and the consideration to be paid therefor."

"Therefore" means "Consequently", which is the most common usage in every day English - "He hit me; therefore, I hit him back."

I don't remember in which context I used the word, not do I remember which permutation of it I used, but now rest assured that I will use them appropriately from here on out!!

Link to The Mavens

therefor(e)

Q:  I have a question about the word I always thought was spelled "therefore." Writing a paper with a friend for class, she insisted that you spell the word "therefor" which looked horribly wrong to me. But the spell-checker didn't correct it. Is my spell-checker fallible after all, or has there been some change in the word and I didn't get the memo? And how did the "e" get there then?

A:  All non-human spell-checkers are fallible, and this anecdote is an extremely good example of why they should only be used with great caution.

There exist two related adverbs, therefor and therefore. The words are spelling variants of the same word from the same origin, there + fore. The spelling of therefor(e) has varied at different times, but in modern use (for the last two hundred years, roughly) they are distinct.

Therefor is a relatively formal word meaning 'for it' or 'in exchange for it': "a refund therefor"; "parts and pieces therefor." The much more common word therefore means 'consequently; hence; as a result'. It's very likely that this second word, therefore, is the one you want to use.

Most spell-checkers are unable to make distinctions based on meaning; they only compare a word to a list, and if it shows up it's OK. They can't tell if you are using there, their, or they're correctly. The larger its word-list is, the worse it gets for you, since a larger word-list is more likely to include obscure forms which could be errors. For example, oo exists as a variant of "you" or "who," and as a rare Hawaiian songbird, but if you wrote "oo" in a document, you'd probably want your spell-checker to flag it. So the only thing this program is telling you is there "therefor" is a word--it's up to you to realize that it's not the right word.

There is no simple way to rely on a spell-checker. If you're unsure about the spelling of a word, look it up in a dictionary. All current American dictionaries will tell you that the only current spelling of the word meaning 'consequently' is therefore.

[AUesquire 1]

I had some permutations; therefore, I went to the doctor for a prescription.

Thank God I don't do much contract law. You'd eat my lunch.

[Tigermike 3,053]

I feel better already.

I will never make that mistake again, therefore I am better equipped to post in this forum. Was that a correct usage?

[jaydubb121 22]

My sister had twins in January of 2001, therefore years old now.

Is that correct usage?

[jared52 4,354]

I didn't see the original post, therefore I don't really care how the term is used. I just know that when Paul uses "therefore" you are supposed to find out what the "therefore" is there for!

[mcgufcm 4,107]

thanks jenny, i've never seen that before. learn something new everyday.

[tiger88 934]

Here's a minor pet peeve of mine.

nauseous means that something that causes nausea.

Therefore , when someone says, "I feel nauseous, or you look nauseous", they are saying that you or they make people sick!

If you feel vomitous, you feel nauseated, not nauseous.

[SLAG-91 1,483]

Whenever someone says to "refer back" to something, it bugs me..."refer back" is redundant, much like being "explicitly clear" or having the "yellow jaundice."

[AUloggerhead 2,253]

My sister had twins in January of 2001, therefore years old now.

Is that correct usage?

146897[/snapback]

No -- you need to use 'therefour' in that instance. Just trying to help.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Whenever someone says to "refer back" to something, it bugs me..."refer back" is redundant, much like being "explicitly clear" or having the "yellow jaundice."

146998[/snapback]

Kind of like "redneck Bama fan"?

[Jenny AU-92 0]

I had some permutations; therefore, I went to the doctor for a prescription.

Thank God I don't do much contract law.  You'd eat my lunch.

146838[/snapback]

Actualy, Esquire is the only one who got it exactly right - you use it in a "cause and effect" situation. He had "permutations", so he went to the doctor. If you can insert the words "as a result" in place of the "therefore", then you used it correctly.

Carnell had a great year; therefore (as a result), he will be drafted in the first round.

Thus endeth the lesson!!

[jared52 4,354]

Uh, I think I used it correctly as well. I was saying that "cause" I didn't see the original post, I had the "effect" of not being concerned with the correct usage...