27820
When might 選る be used over 選ぶ?

Also is there an additional fossilised morpheme deriving one from the other
(i.e. is 選ぶ er-ab-u), and if so, what does it mean?
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2015-09-04T18:20:50.240
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2015-09-04T19:23:39.430
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etymology
When to use 選る/選ぶ?
The verbs 選{えら}ぶ, 選{えら}む and 選{よ}る are thought to be derived from the original
verb 選{え}る.

Here's what 日本国語大辞典 has to say about the etymology of 選ぶ:

> 動詞「える(選)」の未然形に、継続を表わす「ふ」の付いたもの。万葉仮名により、上代では、「ふ」は清音であったと考えられる。

Of course, this dictionary is using the traditional analysis where words are
segmented on kana boundaries, in which [the continuative/repetitive auxiliary
ふ](http://kobun.weblio.jp/content/%E3%81%B5) attached to the irrealis form えら.
That would mean it was _e-ra-pu_.

Less traditionally, we can segment it _er-ap-u_ , with the continuative
auxiliary _-ap-_ attached to the verb _er-_. At some point the /p/ voiced to
/b/, so it became _er-ab-u_ , as you wrote above. This must have happened
early on, as although /p/ is indicated in the earliest writing, it was already
indicated as /b/ in 栄花物語 (circa 1028). The form with /m/ is recorded in
観智院本『類聚名義抄』 (1241).

In most other words containing this auxiliary the /p/ didn't voice, and so
they underwent regular sound change, for example in 戦う _tatak-a(w)-u_ < 戦ふ
_tatak-ap-u_ , which is built on the root 叩く _tatak-u_.

* * *

In Modern Japanese, 選{えら}ぶ is much more common than 選{よ}る／選{え}る. I don't think
there's a really big difference in meaning today despite the presence of the
continuative morpheme in 選ぶ. In general, you should probably use 選ぶ rather
than 選る.

One exception might be compound forms like 選り好む, where you'll use 選る and not
選ぶ. In this case, it's possible to read 選り好む as より or えり, but in general I
think えり sounds more archaic and より more modern. But this sort of usage isn't
very common.

Another exception is in set phrases like よりによって, which is usually written in
kana but actually contains the verb we're discussing. In kanji, it would be
選りに選って. In this sort of use, 選る is still a common word.

* * *

An unrelated verb, すぐる, can also be written 選る. What's more, none of すぐる・える・よる
are included as readings on the 常用漢字表. So to avoid confusion, you may want to
write all of these in kana. Otherwise, people might not be able to figure out
what 選り選る is :-)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-04T19:23:39.430
27820
2015-09-04T19:23:39.430
27818
answer