Haven't you? Gosh. That's probably why you were asking why you'd need both -ness and -ity then isn't it? ;-)
Try thinking of other words that come in both the "ness" and the "ity" forms then? Simpleness/Simplicity? Austerity/Austereness? Gullibility/Gullibleness?
I can't think off hand of an example of a word which has an -ity form where there's also a -ness form that I'd use. I don't know the difference between the ones you've cited there, either.
I'll believe you there is one, I just can't work out what it is.
"Simpleness" and "simplicity" is easy, since "simpleness" is the quality of being simple, in any of the variations of meaning of simple, where as "simplicity" is the opposite of complexity.
To me, saying that a person exhibits simplicity means they are uncomplicated. Saying that they exhibit simpleness means they're stupid.
Well, after a bit of wrangling with onebyone, my position on this is as follows:
In that case, simplicity is the quality of being non-complex and simpleness the quality of being stupid.
So there are only two valid forms of the adjective because it's effectively formed from two different nouns (i.e. two different meanings of the word simple).
I'm still looking for an example of -ity and -ness being added to the same word and meaning different things.
Well, ok, how about: "The polarness of a Galapagos Penguin is radically different to a King Penguin since the former is* the most Northerly of all the species of penguin" compared to "Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow"
*Note to self: must NOT say "A beautiful and valuable beast, while the latter is not loveable nor useful in the least". Oh, no, how can I have a POEM as an earworm?
Yeah, hence the snigger, cos I made the word up. It means the degree of being polar. I thought it was such a good example that it should be used anyway regardless of whether or not I made it up.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 01:56 am (UTC)Could you elaborate on that ? What would be the difference between endianity and endianness ?
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Date: 2004-01-09 02:53 am (UTC)purity
pureness
and note how you would typically use them in slightly different ways.
(OK, OK, I'm making it up ;-)
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 03:07 am (UTC)I don't believe I've ever used the word pureness.
--
Richard
(I'll get my coat)
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 03:42 am (UTC)Try thinking of other words that come in both the "ness" and the "ity" forms then? Simpleness/Simplicity? Austerity/Austereness? Gullibility/Gullibleness?
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 03:52 am (UTC)I'll believe you there is one, I just can't work out what it is.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 06:57 am (UTC)"Simpleness" and "simplicity" is easy, since "simpleness" is the quality of being simple, in any of the variations of meaning of simple, where as "simplicity" is the opposite of complexity.
To me, saying that a person exhibits simplicity means they are uncomplicated. Saying that they exhibit simpleness means they're stupid.
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:15 am (UTC)In that case, simplicity is the quality of being non-complex and simpleness the quality of being stupid.
So there are only two valid forms of the adjective because it's effectively formed from two different nouns (i.e. two different meanings of the word simple).
I'm still looking for an example of -ity and -ness being added to the same word and meaning different things.
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The former is a repository for monsters whilst the latter is completely meaningless.
(ObFriday: Good grief, Friday afternoon already...)
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:28 am (UTC)Poorness and paucity come from the same root.
Vulgarness, vulgarity?
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:19 am (UTC)*Note to self: must NOT say "A beautiful and valuable beast, while the latter is not loveable nor useful in the least". Oh, no, how can I have a POEM as an earworm?
(PS: *Snigger*)
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:25 am (UTC)Eh ? I actually don't understand what the word means in that sentence.
However, dictionary.com does give quite differend definitions for simplicity (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=simplicity) and simpleness ().
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:37 am (UTC)Won't be doing that again :)
no subject
Date: 2004-01-09 07:58 am (UTC)I thought it was sufficiently close to the old joke "Did you hear they've taken the word gullible out of the dictionary?" that it had to be used.