When Angelina and Brad were suing the now defunct British newspaper News of the World for alleging that they planned to separate, this quote appeared on various websites covering the story:
“I have had no contact from … Angelina Jolie and/or Brad Pitt,” Trope wrote, according to a letter sent to the couple’s lawyers and partially quoted in Schillings’ statement. “I have never met … your clients or had any involvement with either of them. The forgoing is true with respect to all other members of this firm.”
That ‘forgoing’ should be ‘foregoing’. This is because ‘foregoing’ means ‘just mentioned’ or ‘preceding’. See Oxford Dictionaries.
The way to remember the spelling of ‘foregoing’ is to think of ‘as mentioned before‘.
So why exactly did they separate? Sorry, I meant to say, so is ‘forgoing’ a word?
Yes, it is, and it means ‘going without’, for example:
She is forgoing dessert to ensure she gets home on time.
A slight complication…
I hate to tell you this, but ‘forgo’, meaning ‘to go without’, can also be spelt ‘forego’. See Oxford Dictionaries.
However, ‘forego’, meaning ‘previously mentioned’ cannot be spelt ‘forgo’. (As I was explaining before.)
Commonly confused and just plain wrong
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Very amusing, interesting and informative, Deborah! The English language is a minefield…or should I say a mind field?
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Hi, there! It’s lovely to see you here and you are very welcome; thanks very much for your comment. I really like ‘mind field’; that’s very apt when it comes to the English language!
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I had to construct a paragraph yesterday with one “forgoing” and two “foregoings.” My head was spinning but I think I got it right.
I just thought of this memory aid for “foregoing”: To forecast (the weather) means to predict the future. The forecast comes before the event.
(And in the “just because” category, a weather forecast in Sp. is “prognóstico.” I love that. :))
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Thanks, Michael — that’s a good tip.
Er — are you absolutely sure you had to construct a paragraph with one forgoing and two foregoings?
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Was the foregoing meant to be sarcastic? *flouncing out of room*
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Ha! I didn’t realize that “forego” was an acceptable alternative spelling. English is a minefield…
I love the past tense of “forgo,” just because it causes such eye-rolling when you use it: “forwent.” Here’s an example: “I’m not going to say never to anything,” said Moulton Patterson, who forwent a bid for reelection. (L.A. Times)
The past participles are “forgone” and “foregone.” You see the latter a lot in “foregone conclusion,” i.e., everyone knew the answer before the question was even posed.
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As always, I appreciate your witty and interesting explanations, Deborah! And BTW, this rumor is — again — all over the U.S. rags, as well.
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Thanks, Maggie, it’s really kind of you to take the time to say so.
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