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Originally Posted by gmku
Damn. Thanks! You know, that is one word I consistently mess up. I make the same mistake time and again.
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it's easy if you think of the etimology/cognates
rein is related to retain (reins are retainers). google says from the latin retinere. (like retina!?). in spanish,
rienda (the vowels got transposed in the process). but in english, re[ta]in.
reign (easy if you know spanish "reino") derives from rex/regnum. problem is the cognates have a different order of the consonants-- the name reginald or words like regiment (so, reign not regin, like regina). but they have the G. yo, g! retain has no g. so the reins don't.
i've noticed the nerdy kids on the spelling bee always ask for the language of origin. makes it easy that way. the fucking little cheaters. these 2 bātards come from latin via french. latin reigns supreme!
