For years I thought the word memento (as in, like, a souvenir) was actually momento, similar to the word “moment.” It captured a moment in your life, no?

Turns out it’s actually related to the word memory, which in retrospect makes much more sense.

Some online dictionaries accept “momento” as an alternate spelling, but I think only grudgingly as a sop to so many 21st century folks like me getting it wrong. My real-life paper dictionary from 1956 doesn’t even mention it.

I have a lot of boxes at home labeled “momentos” that I now have relabeled “mementos.”

Or is it mementoes?

Oh crap here we go again.