A question for the literati just before I submit my dissertation: Whats the difference between "special" and "especial"?

[Chandra]

Help! Both words are in the Oxford advanced dictionary and I really don't know which one I should use the case of "especial/special" or "especially/specially"

Any clues?

Another question I have is whether I have to say

"I'm sure I will pay back for such sacrifice for many years to come"

or

"I'm sure I will pay for such sacrifice for many years to come"

I'm not sure about the word sacrifice either (DH taking care of DS in the early hours), but I wanted to add a little fun note to my acknowlegements page as otherwise it looked very corny

[Tommy]

I would say that "especially" means particularly and specially is a lazy way of saying it. I've never heard of "especial" as a word in that sense - only especially.
I don't think you pay back for a sacrifice - only pay for. You back a debt.
I am not an English teacher though - just a very pedantic RE teacher in my time!
Good luck

[Tommy]

Not that pedantic obviously....
You pay back a debt

[Tommy]

or even pay back a debt
(God - must stop doing this after 2 glasses of wine....)

[Chandra]

Thank you Tommy, I should include you in my acknowledgements page Thanks.

[Chandra]

Tommy... I'm confused again... I guess I'm paying for so many times he woke up early when I spent the night working, and I'm sure I'm goint to pay back the same way (by waking up early and let him sleep longer) is that paying back

[CarrieG]

You can have 'pay back such sacrifice' or 'pay for such sacrifice' - you don't need both 'back' & 'for'.

It's because it can be either accusative ('back') or dative ('for'). But not both...

I think. Mind you I've had 3 glasses to Tommy's 2! FWIW I think 'pay for' sounds more natural.

[Chandra]

Thanks Carrie