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Post by Dave on Apr 2, 2012 7:59:26 GMT
Something hubertus wrote prompted me to see if there is an instance where each of the letters of the alphabet can be silent in an English word. I've come up with the following list (the easy ones!), but I'll need your collective help with the ones that are missing an example, if one exists. Some are French and perhaps still considered foreign, but were in my Webster's: consider them as place holders until a better one comes along. | a | soap, heap | | b | comb, doubt | | c | scintillating, czar, yacht | | d | judge, edge, dzus | | e | come, neutral | | f | | | g | right, gnat, foreign | | h | through, mho, when | | i | strait | | j | | | k | know, knee, knife | | l | walk, half | | m | mnemonic | | n | column, damn | | o | amoeba, people | | p | pneumatic, psychology | | q | | | r | Cartier, papier | | s | island, aisle, corps | | t | soften, nestle | | u | guard, catalogue, pique, humour, gauge | | v | | | w | sword, owe, who | | x | croix | | y | day, ropey | | z | chez | | ' | jack-o'-lantern | | - | jack-o'-lantern |
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Post by hubertus on Apr 2, 2012 8:18:16 GMT
An impressive effort, Dave.
I would be surprised if there were any words with silent fricatives, as in 'f' and 'v'.
And 'q' is always an anomaly, with its requirement of an accompanying 'u' except in proper names.
Still, a worthwhile quest!
;D
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Post by hubertus on Apr 2, 2012 8:20:50 GMT
Jugoslav??
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Post by hubertus on Apr 2, 2012 8:22:52 GMT
Acquire??
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Post by hubertus on Apr 2, 2012 8:23:42 GMT
Affidavit - silent second 'f'.
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Post by amanda on Apr 2, 2012 8:54:05 GMT
Aren't all second fs silent?  |
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Post by Twoddle on Apr 2, 2012 10:04:39 GMT
Aren't all second fs silent? In all cases of double consonants, how can we know which one is silent? |
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Post by Dave on Apr 2, 2012 11:21:28 GMT
When spelled Yugoslav, is the Y silent? If not, then the J isn't either--it just doesn't have the JAY sound. |
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Post by Dave on Apr 2, 2012 11:22:49 GMT
I'd consider the c to be the silent one here. |
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Post by Dave on Apr 2, 2012 11:26:17 GMT
Aren't all second fs silent? In all cases of double consonants, how can we know which one is silent? I left out doubles for that reason, but it's true: one is superfluous for actual pronunciation so it can be silent. |
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Post by hubertus on Apr 2, 2012 11:27:44 GMT
I'd consider the c to be the silent one here. Yes, the 'kw' sound. Thought I had it there, too! |
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Post by Dave on Apr 2, 2012 11:33:31 GMT
I added the apostrophe and the hyphen. I consider them to be at the same level as letters (they're not punctuation!). And they're always silent!
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Post by Alan Palmer on Apr 2, 2012 13:59:14 GMT
encyclopoedia
Shouldn't that be encyclopaedia?
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Post by amanda on Apr 2, 2012 16:18:27 GMT
This has got me thinking about words with invisible letters, such as the r in bath and the w in hello.
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Post by hubertus on Apr 2, 2012 16:31:44 GMT
There are no 'r's in the baths of 'uddersfield. And hello is spelt 'ay oop'!
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