L'Hôpital or L'Hospital?

Question

This may be a stupid question but I just want clarification about the use of the name of this rule. Well, most of the time what I see is L'Hospital's Rule, like in Baby Rudin and many other places. Occasionally, though, I do see what seems to be the "more correct" form L'Hôpital's Rule (like in Wikipedia). I believe the latter is the correct version, because the rule was indeed named after Guillaume de l'Hôpital. (see the wikipedia link).

But why is the former version so commonly used (much more than the latter I think)? The only reason I can imagine is the popularity of the English language. However, though hôpital does mean hospital in English, isn't it totally ridiculous to translate Règle de L'Hôpital into L'Hospital's Rule (just because the corresponding English word hospital happens to make sense)? What's more, how are we supposed to pronounce L'Hospital? In an English way or in a French way? In the first place, I think it is confusing to combine a French article with an English word, and in the second, it is even more confusing to use l' in place of le/la since in English the h in hospital isn't even mute. Anyway L'Hospital makes little sense to me..

see here http://www.dict.cc/?s=Regeln+von+de+l%5C'H%C3%B4pital+%5Bauch+de+l%5C'Hospital%5D — Dr. Sonnhard Graubner, Aug 15 '15 at 03:47
@Dr.SonnhardGraubner Thanks. But undoubtedly L'Hospital is used everywhere. — Vim, Aug 15 '15 at 03:50
i think it must be De L'Hospital and we say rules of Bernoulli- De L'Hospital — Dr. Sonnhard Graubner, Aug 15 '15 at 03:52
@Dr.SonnhardGraubner I don't know how to pronounce l'hospital. It makes little sense to combine a French article with an English word. (And in English that "h" isn't even mute... — Vim, Aug 15 '15 at 03:55

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 15 '15 at 04:38

5

In the 17^th and 18^th centuries, the name was commonly spelled l'Hospital, and, as far as I learned when I was a student, even himself used to spell his name that way. However, with time going, many French spellings have been altered: in particular, the silent s has been removed and replaced with the circumflex over the preceding o making l'Hôpital. The former spelling is still used in English with no circumflex.

edited Aug 15 '15 at 04:38

user642796

52,188

answered Aug 15 '15 at 04:28

Claude Leibovici

260,315

2

You can italicize text by using asterisks (like *this*) which is better than pretending it is mathematics. – Aug 15 '15 at 04:30
Thank u. So you mean hôspital is the archaic form of hôpital and over time the former spelling altered into the latter? – Vim Aug 15 '15 at 04:35
This is essentially a copy-paste from Wikipedia. – fkraiem Aug 15 '15 at 04:40
@Rahul. Thanks for the tip ! – Claude Leibovici Aug 15 '15 at 04:48
@Vim. hospital (without circumflex) is effectively the archaic form of hôpital. In the same spirit hostel became hôtel – Claude Leibovici Aug 15 '15 at 04:52

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 15 '15 at 04:26

I know you problem! I live in a city where English is popular, but people are not so good at it. I know for sure that it is pronounced without the 's', (L'Hôpital's Rule). But whenever I ask a question related to it to my teacher, instead of saying "lop-it-als" I say "eL-Hos-pi-tals", and then only he understands. So I don't think it will be a problem, just ensure that when you are speaking in front of knowledgeable mathematicians, speak the right way. But if you encounter a situation like mine, the shorter way is better! (y)
Those who are saying that in English you have to pronounce is like "L Hospital", I don't think it is legitimate, because suppose you were born in Spain, and (just for an example), your name was "Jalapeno", then in England, if people call you "Jai-le-peeno", will it seem good? Now rest is in your hands.

L'Hôpital or L'Hospital?

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