golyplot wrote:Strangely, I always considered stomachache to be one word. I'm surprised to see it written as two words here. I would say I've never seen it that way before, but that just invites people to bury with me with responses that "no, that's the standard way things are done across the pond" or whatever.
In Canada (not sure which side of the pond that puts me relative to you), I see both stomachache (which seems wrong to me) and stomach ache, and bellyache and belly ache.
Myself, I avoid the controversy by using the phrase "
tummy ache," for a number of reasons:
- to identify what is often a generalized abdominal discomfort as a "
stomach ache" (or if you must, a "
stomachache") brings a precision that is often unwarranted. The stomach represents only a portion of the abdomen, and I think it is challenging for one to be able to identify any particular abdominal pain or discomfort as being located specifically in the
stomach per se as opposed to elsewhere in that goop that constitutes one's innards
- "belly" rhymes with "jelly" and nothing good comes from anything that rhymes with jelly. Other than vermicelli. Due apologies to anyone named Kelly, Shell(e)y, Elly or Nelly - not your fault in getting caught up with the smelly Machiavelli group of bad eggs
- also, I know many who equate "belly" with excess abdominal fat, so that a skinny person can be said not to have a belly (whereas hopefully even skinny folks have a stomach)
- "tummy" - being essentially a childish, nursery sort of word, it is a more comforting term to use when one is in discomfort or distress. "Tummy aches" go away 'cause they are childish minor things and can be best treated by a lollipop or kind, soothing words from a loved one.