Q Why do we call a zero score in tennis “love”? – J. G., Lebanon, N.H.

A: There are two different theories on how “love” came to mean a score of zero in tennis. The first is probably fanciful, but it makes an attractive story.

It suggests that the tennis sense of “love” is derived from the French “l’oeuf,” meaning literally “the egg.” It is said that when the game was imported into France from England, the French used the word “l’oeuf” to mean “zero,” due to the resemblance of an egg to the written figure zero. The big problem here is the lack of evidence that “l’oeuf” has been used in French to mean “zero.”

Another theory is that this sense of “love” comes from the expression “to play for love.” The idea is that a person who fails to make any points is playing for love, rather than playing to win, or playing for stakes.

Q Is there any difference between “further” and “farther”? Is there any reason to choose one over the other? – M. J., Tucson, Ariz.

A: “Farther” and “further” have been used more or less interchangeably throughout most of their history, but currently they are showing signs of diverging. As adverbs they continue to be used interchangeably whenever spatial, temporal or metaphorical distance is involved. But where there is no notion of distance, “further” is used, as in “This point can be further argued.” “Further” is also used as a sentence modifier, as in, “Further, the staff was no longer in doubt,” but “farther” is not.

Additionally, a polarizing process appears to be taking place in their use as adjectives.

“Farther” is taking over the meaning of distance, as in “the farther city.” “Further” is taking over the meaning of addition, as in “needs no further reason.”

Q I used to like to use the word “dilemma,” but I was called on it a while ago when I described having to choose between two job offers a “dilemma.” Is there something wrong with that? – R. L., Franklin, Mass.

A: Some people insist that “dilemma” can only be used in instances in which the alternatives to be chosen are equally unsatisfactory. This concern, however, is misplaced. The unsatisfactoriness of options is usually a matter of how the speaker or writer presents them. What is distressing or painful about a dilemma is the need to make a choice one does not want to make.

“Dilemma” seems to be losing some of its unpleasant force, a development borne out by the use of modifiers such as “terrible,” “painful” and “irreconcilable.” There also appears to be a growing tendency to apply it to less weighty matters.

This column was prepared by the editors of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition.

Readers may send questions to Merriam-Webster’s Wordwatch, P.O. Box 281, 47 Federal St., Springfield, Mass. 01102.

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