salutary; *salutiferous; salubrious.
“Salutary” = beneficial; wholesome. “Salutory”* is a common misspelling, especially in British English — e.g.:
o “Fans of the gone-but-not-forgotten Butterflies should rush to see Wendy Craig in this salutory [read ‘salutary’] tale about how not to treat your relatives.” “Pick of the Day: Sleeping Beauty,” Independent, 19 Dec. 1995, at 10.
o “The Mirror’s coverage of the subsequent inquiry provides a salutory [read ‘salutary’] reminder of how much has changed in popular journalism.” Niall Dickson, “Child Protection: Press and the Pendulum,” Guardian, 23 Oct. 1996, at 2. *”Salutiferous” is a needless variant of “salutary.”
“Salubrious,” a near-synonym of “salutary,” means “healthful; promoting health or well-being.” E.g.:
o “While we wish Hunt a long and healthy life, even the salubrious atmosphere of Holly Pond isn’t going to keep him around that long.” “Hunt’s Denial: Fourth Appeal Unsuccessful,” Montgomery Advertiser, 3 Sept. 1996, at A6.
o “And stepping into the spa is still a salubrious experience, with its soft new age music and ylang-ylang and citrus-scented air.” Elizabeth Evans, “A Better Fit for Fit Eaters,” Orange County Register, 29 Nov. 1996, at F33.
Language-Change Index — “salutory”* for “salutary”: Stage 1.
*Invariably inferior forms.
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Quotation of the Day: “Most of us have learned many things about language from others, but generally the wrong things. More likely than not we have acquired ideas and beliefs that do not have facts to back them.” Ronald Wardhaugh, Proper English: Myths and Misunderstandings About Language viii (1999).
