Part of the problem is that most people confuse letters and sounds. There are 33 different phonemes (sounds) in English (and even that varies from dialect to dialect), and only twenty-six letters to represent them. The letter ’þ" disappeared from the English alphabed and is now spelled ’th", but that same spelling stands for two different sounds.
It also explains the nonexistent word “ye” (as in “Ye Olde Gifte Shoppe”). it was spelled “þe”, but in handwritten manuscripts, the “þ” was sometimes mistaken for a “y”. This is also part of the reason “þ” was dropped.
Nebulous Premium Member over 11 years ago
As the Great Dr. Seuss put it, The tough coughs as he ploughs the dough.andMr. Hough, your bough is in the trough.
Stephen Gilberg over 11 years ago
What are the other three ways?
davidh48 over 11 years ago
Does anyone here remember how to spell “fish” without using the same letters?
Giving back: longest (English) word I’ve found with fewest vowels, “churchly”. My atheist friend had challenged me (grin).
finale over 11 years ago
Psych
jimkrantz over 11 years ago
Shortest English word with all five vowels: sequoia
runar over 11 years ago
Part of the problem is that most people confuse letters and sounds. There are 33 different phonemes (sounds) in English (and even that varies from dialect to dialect), and only twenty-six letters to represent them. The letter ’þ" disappeared from the English alphabed and is now spelled ’th", but that same spelling stands for two different sounds.
It also explains the nonexistent word “ye” (as in “Ye Olde Gifte Shoppe”). it was spelled “þe”, but in handwritten manuscripts, the “þ” was sometimes mistaken for a “y”. This is also part of the reason “þ” was dropped.