An orienteer or orienteerer? Which one are you?

[Adventure Racer]

If it's "orient", not "orientate", then where does "orientation" come from?

[yumyum]

Or Australize if you do a 180!

I have come to the conclusion that all us 'orienteerers' are just going to have to use a silent 2nd '-er'!:wink:

[awk]

If it's "orient", not "orientate", then where does "orientation" come from?

According to my Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, and Shorter OED:
Orient is the 'original' English word, dated early 18C. 'Orientation' (the act of orienting oneself) first appeared in first half of the 19C - 'ation' being a pretty standard suffix to add on to words to mean the act or state of ------ing something - at about the same time that the meaning of 'orient' changed from positioning facing the east to the more modern determination of bearings and (slightly later) setting in correct relationship to other objects. 'Orientate' was "probably" soon after derived from orientation.

Don't often come across 'to orient' now - suspect that 'to orientate' has taken over.

When 'orienteer' appeared is uncertain. The Shorter OED suggests 'mid-20C', presumably when orienteering came to this country in the 1960s as suggested before, but I'm sure that, for instance, my grandfather referred to it before then.

[Simple Soul]

When 'orienteer' appeared is uncertain. The Shorter OED suggests 'mid-20C', presumably when orienteering came to this country in the 1960s as suggested before, but I'm sure that, for instance, my grandfather referred to it before then.

Occasional Orienteers were formed in the early 1960s, not Occasional Orienteerers. Presumably this discussion took place then.

[guest]

almost certainly:

orienteering is lifted straight from swedish 'orientering' meaning orientation. this is the (regular) present participle of the verb 'orientera', to orientate. this etymology is not the same as that of any of the examples quoted by awk. 'interestingly', the swedish word for orienteer (the person) is 'orienterare' - the equivalent form of 'orienteerer' in english; also a simple verb 'to orienteer' doesn't exist. which is all very interesting perhaps, but doesn't really matter.

similarly 'kontroll' means check.

[EriOL]

The english word "orienteerer" is most certainly invented by a scandinavian. When turning "orienterare" into its english counterpart it goes against all common sense to drop all those letters at the end. But of course english isn't a language built on common sense...

As for myself, I have converted. I am no longer an orienteerer but rather an occidenteerer. Occidenteering is a quite new sport which involves such pleasant activities as early morning skiing and sunbathing instead of getting bruised, battered and wet in hostile woods and then walking around in waist-deep mud on some godforsaken field in southern Sweden.

[awk]

also a simple verb 'to orienteer' doesn't exist.

in English, or Swedish? If English - it does, at least according to the Shorter OED.

I wouldn't disagree with any of what you say about the etymology, except to say that English is brilliant at adapting foreign words and fitting them into the the English structure, and that I'm somewhat doubtful about the OEDs reckoning on mid-60s as the date of provenance (but can't prove otherwise). Given that, the etymology of words ending in -eer is relevant - I can't think of a single English word ending in -eerer (but am ready - and English will get it to fit (just like other words like buccaneer have derived from foreign languages).

Where I do disagree, is with EriOL (sorry!). As I see it, it doesn't go against common sense to drop all those messy endings. Rather the opposite: the common sense is in adapting the word to fit the language rules (most of the time!). It's why it has developed into one of the great languages (and why Jacques Chirac is, sadly, fighting a losing battle!).

[graeme]

I can't think of a single English word ending in -eerer

Queerer things have happened: who were those people careering along after the guy steering the pack at the chasing sprint then?

(I could go on...)

Graeme

[Suzy R Sopham]

How about forgetting all the 'orienteer(er)' confusion and changing the name to "map racing". Seems to better shake that pace and compass exercises at scouts/school image some people have when I say "orienteering".