Is it "Summoned" or "Summonsed"? An Expert Gamer‘s Perspective

As a lifelong gaming enthusiast and content creator focused on the latest titles and news in the industry, I get asked a lot of questions about gaming terminology. One common one is whether the past tense of "summon" (as in summoning creatures or NPCs in games) is "summoned" or "summonsed".

The short answer is that the proper past tense and past participle is "summoned" – "summonsed" is not an actual conjugated verb form in English. But let‘s take a deeper dive into why.

Defining "Summon" in Gaming

First, what does it mean to "summon" something in a game context? Summoning typically refers to calling forth or conjuring a creature, character, or even magical weapons that aid the player.

For example, in classic RPGs like Final Fantasy, summoning Guardian Forces lets you unleash powerful elemental attacks. Popular MOBAs like League of Legends have champion abilities centered around summoning minions or turrets. And the iconic Summoning skill in RuneScape gives players combat support from mighty titans like the Pack Yak.

Summoning serves an important role as a mechanic that provides tactical advantages in tough battles. That‘s why getting the terminology right matters to gamers like us!

The Correct Conjugation is "Summoned"

In standard English grammar, the past tense and past participle form of "summon" is "summoned". This applies to all uses of the word, gaming and otherwise. Some examples:

• The necromancer summoned an army of skeletal soldiers.
• My guildmates summoned me to an elite dungeon raid.
• I summoned up my courage before confronting the final boss.

Meanwhile, "summonsed" has never been recognized as a real English word. Yet some people mistakenly try to conjugate "summons" (the noun form) into "summonsed".

Why doesn‘t it work grammatically? Let‘s break it down.

"Summons" as a Noun, Not a Verb

In legal contexts, "a summons" is the official notice sent to someone ordering their appearance in court. For example:

"She received three summonses to appear before the judicial committee."

Note that the plural noun here is "summonses". This is why some get tripped up into incorrectly using "summonsed", but as a general rule, nouns cannot be conjugated into verbs with distinct forms. You would never say "she summonsed to court three times", just like saying "I carred to work" makes no sense.

Sticking to the properly conjugated "summoned" avoids this mix-up entirely.

The Origin and Etymology

Tracing back the word origins reveals more context too. The verb "to summon" has been used since the early 17th century, originating from Latin summonere meaning "to admonish or command". The past tense "summoned" has existed in written English for over 400 years.

Meanwhile, "summonsed" has no etymological history – it‘s an erroneous modern invention. So relying on the traditional verb tense is most accurate.

Expert Insights and Analysis

Bryan Garner, renowned legal writing expert and editor of Black‘s Law Dictionary, weighs in on this issue in his seminal usage guide Garner‘s Modern English Usage:

"…the variant summonsed has appeared, but it should be avoided in careful writing. Stick with the traditional summoned."

So per the advice from leading grammarians, the consensus supports "summoned" as the only properly conjugated past tense form, both grammatically and historically.

Proper Forms and Example Sentences

Here‘s a quick reference table for the correct forms:

And some example sentences in context:

• The warlock summoned a fiery inferno against his foes.
• The king was summoned to a war council to plan their attack.
• My guildmates have summoned me to raid dungeons three times this week already!
• She received many summonses to visit the palace and advise the rulers.

So in all usages, be sure to use "summoned" when referring to the conjugated verb, and "summonses" as the plural noun form. This will ensure proper grammar and clarity.

Conclusion: Always Go With "Summoned"!

I hope breaking down the intricate grammar rules behind "summon" vs "summons" was insightful for my fellow gaming wordsmiths. As we strive to master every boss fight and side quest, it helps to also have mastery over the terminology and language used in our beloved games.

So the next time you‘re describing how your powerful battle mage hero "summoned" a devastating meteor storm, or get "summoned" by guildmates to defeat epic raids late into the night, you can confidently use the proper "summoned" form!

Let me know in the comments if you have any other gaming word or grammar questions. And as always, happy questing!