The English word "doubling" is spelled with two "b"s, but the phonetic transcription of the word suggests that it should only have one. This is because the sound represented by "bb" in English is actually a geminated consonant, also known as a double consonant. In IPA phonetics, the word "doubling" is transcribed as /ˈdʌblɪŋ/, with a single "b" representing the geminated /b/ sound. Therefore, the spelling of this word may seem peculiar to non-native speakers of English who are not familiar with gemination.
Doubling, as a noun, refers to the act or process of multiplying by two or becoming twice as much or numerous. It involves the action of increasing or replicating something by an exact amount or in equal measure. In mathematics, doubling is a fundamental arithmetic operation that involves adding a number to itself. For instance, when the number 2 is doubled, it becomes 4. This operation can be extended to various numerical values, such as doubling percentages or monetary amounts.
Moreover, doubling can also describe the act of bending or folding an object in half, resulting in two identical parts. It often implies symmetry and replication of form, as seen in folding a sheet of paper or bending a wire in half. Similarly, the doubling of a musical note refers to its prolonged duration by precisely repeating the same pitch within a specified time frame.
Furthermore, doubling can be applied metaphorically to various contexts beyond numbers and shapes. For instance, in literature and drama, doubling refers to the technique of presenting parallel or mirrored characters, often in terms of appearance or personality traits. This technique allows for deeper exploration of themes and contrasts within a text. Additionally, in linguistics, doubling can signify the repetition or duplication of sounds or words for emphasis or stylistic purposes.
Overall, doubling encompasses the concepts of multiplication, folding, repetition, symmetry, and mirroring, depending on the specific context in which it is used.
A fold; an artifice; a shift; act of sailing round a cape; the winding and turning of a hare.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "doubling" originates from the verb "double", which can be traced back to the Latin word "duplus", meaning "twofold" or "double". In Latin, "du-" is a prefix indicating "two", while "-plus" represents "more". Eventually, the word "double" made its way into Old French as "doubler" in the 13th century, which meant "to multiply by two". Over time, the meaning of "double" expanded to include the concept of duplicating or increasing the quantity or intensity of something. From there, the noun form "doubling" was derived to denote the act of making something twofold or strengthening its impact. The evolution of the word reflects its origins in numerical concepts and the subsequent extension to other realms.