Vowels in the English language are not content to have just one sound like those in Spanish, Italian or even Japanese. English vowels strive for a full repertoire.

The vowel A wanders all over the place. Alone it is restricted to its name or the equivalent to “uh”, but pair it up with other letters and all bets are off. See below for the “au” combination, for example. To make matters worse, the British speakers and American speakers do not pronounce A the same way. Americans say the British use a “broad” A, and they say Americans use a “flat” A. If you are new to English, you get to take your pick, though sometimes you might not be immediately understood.

U is not much better since it starts out rarely sounding like its name without help and most often is the soft “uh” (which is also common to A, E and O in unaccented syllables) depending on the word. It most often sounds like double O (oo) as in the words truth and flute. Confused yet?

Linked with I, the U still sounds like “oo” as in the word suit, recruit and nuisance. Nice, you could even say consistent, but wait.

Pair U with A, and what you get with the combination “au” sounds like “ah” for the word nautical. In this instance, the duo sounds a bit like the British version of A. There is no hint of the U. Makes you wonder why it is even there. However, the “au” combination is not consistent. In the word laugh, the A takes over again, but makes its short sound when spoken by an American. For them the U is silent. Other examples of when the U seems to be silent are the words “caught” and “haughty”.

The U is also sometimes mute when paired with E, as in guest or quest. In these words, the U appears to be extraneous. So why is it there? The answer can be found if you search out the etymology of these words.

You may stumble upon “eu” or “ue” combos which sounds like “yew”. Examples of “yew” sound can be found in the words “eulogy” and “cue.”

All this flexibility is not kind to those who are learning English, whether native speakers or not. It also makes spelling a challenge. English has a lot in common with a maze—many likely, but wrong guesses. If only the vowels were less flaky, English would be so much easier.

 

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Almost everyone knows what it is to be overwhelmed, that feeling you are surrounded by so much coming at you, surrounding you, that you cannot see an exit anywhere or help.

The opposite, underwhelmed, can sometimes be so underwhelming, the moment is missed altogether. The vast roar of an ocean that melts quickly into a bare ripple that wets your toes.

The first word has been around for a long while (14^th century), the second not so long—only appearing mid-20^th century.

While it is obvious both words are built on the base of “whelm”, you would hope not to discover that “whelm” is offered as a synonym for overwhelmed. I guess we English speakers were just not content be “whelmed,” but needed to make things very clear by creating the hyperbole “overwhelmed.”

Speaking of “whelm,” I do not believe I have ever heard this used in speech. Have you? Maybe it is dying out. By the way, it is related to the word “helmet.” If you are wearing a helmet, you are “whelmed” or covered. For the original meaning of the word is to cover. Therefore, covered dishes, like pheasant under glass for instance, are all whelmed.

But then it also meant to “overturn or upset.” So, if you were to go topsy-turvy, or end over end, you will be whelmed, too.

Assuming I have now both overwhelmed you with trivia and underwhelmed you in all other ways, I will end this essay.

#Englishlanguage #OverwhelmedUnderwhelmed

Among the annoying inconsistencies of the English language is what to do with plurals. The overall rule is to add the letter S to the end of any noun. Only sometimes, that rule turns into adding two letters: E and S. Then it gets even more complicated if the word ends in the letter Y. Words ending in a final O offer their own challenges.

You would think that a word ending with the letter O should just use the addition of an S.  This is true. But only sometimes! Who decides these things? Why are two copies of a piano called pianos while two of the vegetable “potato” are called “potatoes?”

Doing a little research, I find the plural rule has been touched up since I was in school. Supposedly if the letter just before that final O is a consonant, then the plural will require the ES combination (rule one). This explains tomatoes and potatoes.

If the letter immediately before the final O is a vowel, then the single S will be sufficient (rule two) as with video and radio which become videos and radios.

Musical terms ignore both rules and (rule 3) usually use the single S. But then there is the question of whether the plural of tempo should be tempos or tempi–a subject for another time (pun?).

Sounds like all is resolved, right? But no. Hero according to the rules above should become “heros”, but its plural is heroes, and echo likewise becomes echoes.

If it is any consolation, just stick to the three rules offered here and you will usually have the correct spelling. If you need assurance, a dictionary in hand or on-line is always available to help you. And do not be hard on yourself if you are wrong, there are a lot people who will commiserate with you.

 

#EnglishLanguage #ESL

COVID19 lingers, but children begin to leave behind the virtual for the 3D classrooms in schools as they continue seeking knowledge. In the word “knowledge,’ the letter K is silent. Which reminds me of other words which begin with the letters “KN.”

Kn words can present problems in spelling with homonyms like the pairs “Knight/Night”, “Knot/Not” and “Know/No.” Is the K just there to confuse? Of course not, it was once pronounced and still may be in parts of Scotland.

I recently heard on the BBC, a Scot speak the first listed word above. It sounded rather like it were spelled “kanikt,” with the second “k” sound actually a G plus an H—Scot style. (see earlier blogs on GH words).

Are these words then Scottish and part of our Celtic heritage? No, they are leftovers from ancestors who spoke variants in the Germanic language family. The current German still has several, including “knockwurst” a food served and spoken by English natives—though, once again, they drop the initial K sound.

So why do the English ignore that first letter in these words? The reason, I believe, is that over time those born into the English language tended to ignore the “inconvenient” in their language. Try pronouncing the K in the word “knot,” for instance. That brief sound, almost as if you are trying to clear your throat, just is not worth the effort.* Right?

The other question is “why keep that initial K?” The easiest answer is that it is true to its word origin and helps to clarify meaning when written out. The other answer is that the English like their eccentricities and choose to be stubborn in their defense.

With that last thought I will ring the knell on this day’s exploration of the English language.

*There are many languages which regularly have the “clearing the throat” sound as they speak. In writing, this sound is sometimes rendered as a CH or H as in Hanukkah (also spelled with Chanukkah) or with the infamous K (sometimes KH).

 

#EnglishLanguage #ESL