Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick de Guerre
Beyond this, I can tell you blue collar Red Sox fans would say both words with zero distinction. They speak of gun stawks, corn stawks, and tech stawks on the stawk exchange. 
- Nudge |
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Nevertheless, 'stock' as it may pertain to wood -
"The trunk or main stem of a tree, or other plant, as distinguished from roots and branches."
"The handle of a whip, fishing rod, etc."
"The trunk or stump of a tree left standing."
"Stalk" in place of 'stock' may have been intentional but my best guess is in the technical or digital editing process used comercially today if it is spelled 'stalk' just once in the text and the editors think that should be the correct spelling (sometimes even without checking with the author) a couple of keystrokes by the editor can change the spelling of 'stock' to 'stalk' each and every time it appears.
Sometimes I wonder what our schools have been teaching.... or if the students were even paying attention....
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