Inquiry has a formal and official ring to it, while enquiry is informal in its connotation. Active 8 years, 6 months ago. (Noun), Will you please inquire about his whereabouts? Scientific inquiry ), and it is the case throughout the English speaking-world. In practice, however, enquire, and the associated noun enquiry, are more common in British English while inquire (and the noun inquiry) are more common in American English, but otherwise there is little discernible distinction in the way the words are used. A theory of inquiry is an account of the various types of inquiry and a treatment of the ways that each type of inquiry achieves its aim. After all, most communication takes place in reports, emails, and instant messages. The detective promised he would make some inquiries into the robberies. The act of inquiring; a seeking of information by asking questions; interrogation; a questionor questioning. It should be known that the words inquire and enquire are used as verbs. They’ve passed the inquiry over to the police. In American English, both words can be used interchangeably, with inquiry being the more common, preferred word. Usage notes According to Fowler's Modern English Usage'' (1926), ''inquiry'' should be used in relation to a formal inquest, and ''enquiry'' to the act of questioning.Many (though not all) British writers maintain this distinction; the Oxford English Dictionary, in its entry not updated since 1900, lists ''inquiry'' and ''enquiry'' as equal alternatives, in that order. What is the Difference Between Inquiry and Enquiry? How to use inquiry in a sentence. RFQ - (me41) is on the MM Purchasing side & is sent out to the vendors.Prices and conditions quoted by vendors are entered in the original RFQ. Normally, enquire or enquiry is used for general investigation of fact e.g. On the other hand, the word enquire is used in the sense of ‘question’ or ‘ask’. Both terms are nouns used to refer to “an act of asking for information” or “an official investigation.”. For example. A theory of inquiry is an account of the various types of inquiry and a treatment of the ways that each type of inquiry achieves its aim. Enquiry is the noun of enquire used commonly in British English. Both words start with the letter “I.”. Laura Traditionally, enquiry with an e is used in the general sense of to ask. enquiry meaning: 1. Even though inquiry and enquiry can be used interchangeably, you need to keep you audience in mind when writing. Where the two are used for the same purposes, inquire is the more common form.This extends to derivative words (inquiry, inquirer, etc. → inquiry. To question or call into doubt. As in:"The doctor made an enquiry about my general health." STANDS4 LLC, 2020. Check your text and writing for style, spelling and grammar problems everywhere on the web! Either spelling can be used, but many people prefer enquire and enquiry for the general sense of “ask”, and inquire and inquiry for a formal investigation: I enquired his name The first enquiry in my inbox today was about lost property. 1. In the UK, "inquiry" and "enquiry" are also interchangeable. Moreover, inquiry specifically refers to an inquest or investigation whereas enquiry refers to a question in British English. British writers now generally restrict “enquiry” to refer to the general sense of “ask a question,” whereas inquire and inquiry are used in contexts of formal investigations. “Germany drops inquiry into claims NSA tapped Angela Merkel’s phone.” –. Enquire, enquiry definition is - variant of inquire. Grammar.com. Today, I want to clear up any confusion or uncertainty that you might have in using these words in your writing, so you will be absolutely sure which word to use and when. “Enquiry replies are key element when you are selling any … In British English people sometimes distinguish between enquiry and inquiry, using enquiry for the general meaning of ‘a request for information’ and inquiry for the more particular meaning of ‘official investigation’ enquiries from prospective students • a murder inquiry. While inquire means “to seek information in a formal way,” enquire means “to ask in a general way.” They can be used interchangeably. The police are conducting a full inquiry … Even though these two words are used interchangeably in American English, inquiry is used much more frequently and many style guides call for its use exclusively. Inquiry An inquiry is any process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt, or solving a problem. Inquire vs. Enquire And just what, may we ask, is the difference between these? And if that sounds confusing, you’re correct. July 30, 2011 at 3:24 pm Thanks, Sarah – glad you liked it! Inquiry - (VA11) is on the sales side & done by the customer ie inquiry for a bill.credit or partial payment. The word inquire is used in the sense of ‘probe’ or ‘make a formal investigation ’. Enquiry vs. Inquiry. (Noun), “Her book—part memoir, part critical inquiry touching on desire, love, and family—is a superb exploration of the risk and the excitement of change.” –. Inquiry is chiefly the North American spelling, the British spelling is enquiry. Congress launched an inquiry into money laundering by major banks. Inquiry may also refer to an official process of investigation. Reply . inquire/enquire: our style is inquire, inquiry. 24 Dec. 2020. In the UK, inquiry is used to denote an investigation, enquiry is used to denote a question. Learn more. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. Ever since these words first came into English, they have both been used with approximately equal frequency and with no difference in meaning. We truly appreciate your support. Web. For example: I have received an enquiry about your daughter's situation. Smaller British organisations, on the other hand, might prefer it if you stick to what is commonly accepted and widely used for a British audience – again, an enquiry for requesting information and an inquiry when talking about formal investigations . You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.. Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with: . British writers now generally restrict “enquiry” to refer to the general sense of “ask a question,” whereas inquire and inquiry are used in contexts of formal investigations. → inquiry 3. For example, May I enquire as to the location of your restrooms? Verb; To ask, inquire. It also implies to look into a specific subject for the purpose of knowledge or information. Wellbeing or Well-Being – Which is Correct? → inquiry 2. Inquiry and enquiry are both nouns that can mean “a question, an investigation, or a close examination of a matter.” Both words are derived from the verbs “to inquire” and “to enquire,” respectively. It’s now more important than ever to develop a powerful writing style. While enquire and inquire mean the same, and the meaning of the corresponding nouns: inquiry and enquiry is also the same, there is some difference in how people use them. However, some differences can be noted between these two nouns based on their usage. Inquiry definition is - a request for information. (Noun), The child enquired about his father. There are so many words in English that are either so similar to each other in spelling and pronunciation or their meanings are so close to each other that it’s almost impossible to tell them apart. Glamor or Glamour – What’s the Difference? Inquire and inquiry are commonly used in American English whereas Enquire and enquiry are used in British English. Improve your grammar, vocabulary, and writing -- and it's FREE! Do the verbs inquire/enquire have the same meaning? Inquiry. The private investigator inquired the janitor about the happenings of last night. "Inquiry vs. This is the case with inquiry vs. enquiry. The terms enquiry and inquiry are considered to be different spellings of the same word. Writing Traditionally, enquire simply meant “ask,” while inquire was used for formal investigations. Liz at Libro. That said, there are some important usage considerations that you should keep in mind when using them. https://www.grammar.com/inquiry_vs._enquiry. Inquiry vs. Enquiry: What’s the Difference? 2. The short answer to that question is the difference between these words is entirely dialectical. This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information. Home » Inquiry vs. Enquiry: What’s the Difference? However, the British typically use inquiry for a formal investigation-such as a legal investigation-and enquiry for other uses. (Verb), The police are following an official line of inquiry. The short answer is “yes.” They both are a formal way of saying “ask about” or “investigate” something. This is the main difference between the two words. In American English, inquiry and enquiry are used interchangeably, with “inquiry” being the preferred option. Like Like. We all desire your early reply to this enquiry. The corresponding noun is enquiry or inquiry. As such, everything we talk about today applies equally to the verb forms as well as the noun forms. 2. Inquiry is more common in the United States and enquiry is more common in Britain. More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary "Enquiry" is used for a standard question. But even in Great Britain, however, this is not a hard and fast rule, as the words are still used quite interchangeably. All you have to remember is that they are spelled differently according to the English vocabulary you are using: "inquiry" is preferred in US English, whereas "enquiry" is the British version. inquiry (countable and uncountable, plural inquiries) 1. . For example: The commissioner promised to launch an inquiry into the fraud case. I called the doctor to inquire about my blood test results. Enquiry. We received countless enquires about the recent tax changes. Inquiry and enquiry are both nouns (verb forms are inquire and enquiry) that have to do with asking for information or investigating facts. Some … Enquiry and Inquiry are used interchangeably but have difference among them. These words are especially confusing because they suffer from everything mentioned above: they are spelled similarly, pronounced similarly, and their meanings are quite similar (if not the same). ‘En’ comes from French, and ‘in’ from Latin. An inquiry is any process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt, or solving a problem. Like Like. They refer to question, investigation, or inquest and are derived from the two verbs inquire and enquire. If you are a British English speaker/writer and are looking for a way to keep track of which word to use and when, just remember that inquiry is preferred when referring to an investigation. Nevertheless, we’re here to help you avoid errors in your written work. However, there is still considerable leniency on this distinction. The police are conducting a full inquiry of all the details surrounding the case files. However, the following distinction is emerging: Inquiry. Search for truth, information, or knowledge; examination of facts or principles; research; investigation 2.1. An inquiry is the act of asking for information, usually in an official or formal capacity. In its traditional sense, enquiry and its corresponding verb form enquire are used for the general sense “ask.”. In the United States, inquire is the strongly preferred spelling in all uses. It is related to the verb inquire, which means to ask someone for information or to investigate. 3. Love words? However, you can use either spelling in … In British English, the words are also used interchangeably, but there is a slight distinction beginning to develop between them. 6 responses to “Enquiry, inquiry or query?” Sarah July 30, 2011 at 10:53 am I’ve always wondered about enquiry vs inquiry. While “ enquire ” and “ enquiry ” are primarily used in the United Kingdom, the spellings of “ inquire ” and “ inquiry ” are actually the typical spellings within British and American English. • An enquiry is a quest for knowledge or information, whereas inquiry is also a quest but more in the form of a formal investigation. December 19, 2016 -. The plural forms are inquiries and enquiries. That’s a really good explanation! In reality though, enquiry is preferred in British English, whereas the Americans are more comfortable with inquiry. enquire / enquiry vs inquire / inquiry: In British English there's a subtle difference between enquiry and inquiry, but Americans tend to use inquiry for both, as a result the lines are getting blurred, but generally:- If you enquire about someone or something you ask about them. Enquiry." To ask a question. So, no matter where you are, “ inquiry ” is the most-correct spelling to use. Inquiry and enquiry are two spellings of the same word. In general parlance, it is understood that enquire is to be used for ‘asking’, while inquire is what constitutes ‘making a formal investigation’. Word Choice: Enquiry vs. Inquiry ‘Enquiry’ and ‘inquiry’ mean exactly the same thing… except for when they don’t. In British English, both words can also be used interchangeably, but it is preferred to used inquiry for formal investigations and enquiry for general questions. That’s right. Enquiry is used to get some information, in a formal way of asking. While Inquiry is used for investigation, which is a deeper word than enquiry. * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess) , chapter=20 citation, passage=The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen.No one queried it. So far, that’s quite easy to understand. enquiring about the time of a movie and ticket price etc. For … Enquire and inquire are often just different spellings of the same word. (Verb), This is a matter of scientific inquiry. “Inquiry” vs. “investigation” [closed] Ask Question Asked 8 years, 6 months ago. The two words are often used interchangeably, but those who are learned know the difference between inquiry and enquiry and use it appropriately. Inquiry is a noun, which means the act of asking for information or an official investigation. An investigation or a look into done by the investigators or police officers from a witness or a possible subject is called inquiry. Both of the above sentences are how you would expect the words to be used by British writers. Viewed 1k times 1. Thanks for your vote! Reply . For example, You’re probably still wondering, “Okay, I still don’t know when to use which one.”. And to do that, we’re going to begin by looking at … "Inquiry" and "enquiry" are both correct spellings of the same noun, referring to the same thing. "Inquiry" is used for a formal investigation. May I enquire as to the location of your restrooms? In the UK, the two words are used interchangeably, although inquire is still the more commonly used word for formal or official investigations. Differences can be used interchangeably, but those who are learned know the difference these... Process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt, or knowledge ; examination of facts or ;! 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