Posted by Eugene Volokh:
Word Formation:
A reader writes, apropos my leafleter/leafleteer post:
You write, "standard word formation rules thus give us
'leafleter.'"
Actually, I'm pretty sure standard word-formation rules would give
us "leafletter," as in "bat -- batter," "spit -- spitter," etc. The
double consonant signifies that the preceding vowel remains short.
Per normal English orthography/pronunciation rules, one would
expect to pronounce "leafleter" "leaf-leeter."
Here's the simplest rule I've heard, from my brother Sasha, if I
recall: In American English, when a verb ends in a short vowel
followed by one consonant (e.g., "leaflet"), then in the "-ed,"
"-ing," and "-er" forms the consonant is doubled if the accent is on
the last (or only) syllable. If the accent is not on the last
syllable, then the consonant need not be doubled. It often may be
doubled, but the more common American use is to keep it single. (In
British English, doubling is more common even in the latter context.)
Hence "getting" and "forgetting" but "targeting," "compelled" but
"modeled." There are exceptions (e.g., busing), but this seems to be a
good rule of thumb.
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