Silent and invisible letters in English: Difference between revisions
imported>Ro Thorpe |
mNo edit summary |
||
| (61 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{subpages}}{{TOC|right}} | {{subpages}}{{TOC|right}} | ||
'''Silent letters''' constitute a notorious phenomenon '''in English''': in '''wréstle''', for example, only four out of the seven letters are actually sounded (*résl), and there can be strings of them in place names, exemplified by the trio '''Léicester, Glóucester''' and '''Worcester''', pronounced '''Léster''', *Glóster and *Wùster. (''The accents show stress and pronunciation, see [[English spellings]]; * is placed before an incorrect spelling.'') | ==Silent letters== | ||
'''Silent letters''' constitute a notorious phenomenon '''in English''': in '''wréstle''', for example, only four out of the seven letters are actually sounded (*résl), and there can be strings of them in place names, exemplified by the trio '''Léicester, Glóucester''' and '''Worcester''', pronounced '''Léster''', *Glóster and *Wùster. (''The accents show stress and pronunciation, see [[English spellings]]; there is also a key at the foot of this page; * is placed before an incorrect spelling.'') | |||
Silent letters can be misleading, as in '''T'''ha'''îland''' and '''î'''s'''land''', which rhyme, or they can be easy to ignore ("redundant"), as in w'''róng''', '''y'''e'''ôman''', and '''lô'''w. | Silent letters can be misleading, as in '''T'''ha'''îland''' and '''î'''s'''land''', which rhyme, or they can be easy to ignore ("redundant"), as in w'''róng''', '''y'''e'''ôman''', and '''lô'''w. | ||
| Line 16: | Line 17: | ||
'''chéck''' ''verify'' = [[British English|BrE]] '''chéque''' ''money | '''chéck''' ''verify'' = [[British English|BrE]] '''chéque''' ''money | ||
==Some typical examples== | ===Some typical examples=== | ||
* '''b''' finally after '''m''' or before final '''t''' (-m'''b''' -b'''t''') | * '''b''' finally after '''m''' or before final '''t''' (-m'''b''' -b'''t''') | ||
*'''g''' or '''k''' initially before '''n''' (g'''n'''-, k'''n'''-) | *'''g''' or '''k''' initially before '''n''' (g'''n'''-, k'''n'''-) | ||
| Line 23: | Line 24: | ||
*'''n''' finally after '''m''' (-'''m'''n). | *'''n''' finally after '''m''' (-'''m'''n). | ||
==Alphabetical list== | ===Alphabetical list=== | ||
Silent '''[[A]]''' is found in: '''hë'''a'''rd, lë'''a'''rn, Múrr'''a'''y''' = '''Mòr'''a'''y'''; all examples from Latin of a'''ê''': '''nébul'''a'''ê''', '''fŏrmul'''a'''ê''', and in the standard [[British English]] pronunciation of words ending in -a'''ry''': '''sécond'''a'''ry, díction'''a'''ry''' | Silent '''[[A]]''' is found in: '''hë'''a'''rd, lë'''a'''rn, Múrr'''a'''y''' = '''Mòr'''a'''y'''; all examples from Latin of a'''ê''': '''nébul'''a'''ê''', '''fŏrmul'''a'''ê'''; in '''fôrec'''a'''stle''' (*fôxl, also '''fô'c's'le''') and in the standard [[British English]] pronunciation of words ending in -a'''ry''': '''sécond'''a'''ry, díction'''a'''ry''' | ||
'''[[B]]''': '''thúm'''b''', dúm'''b''', núm'''b''', clîm'''b''', lím'''b''', dé'''b'''t, dòu'''b'''t, sú'''b'''tle | '''[[B]]''': '''thúm'''b''', dúm'''b''', núm'''b''', clîm'''b''', lím'''b''', dé'''b'''t, dòu'''b'''t, sú'''b'''tle | ||
| Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
'''CH''': '''yà'''ch'''t''' (*yót) | '''CH''': '''yà'''ch'''t''' (*yót) | ||
'''[[D]]''' before a soft '''g''': '''dó'''d'''g'''e, '''é'''d'''gy, ló'''d'''ging, bá'''d'''ger, brí'''d'''g'''e''', wé'''d'''g'''e; for most speakers in '''Wé'''d'''n'''e'''sday'''; and before a French '''j''' in D'''jiboûti, Abi'''d'''jàn | '''[[D]]''' is redundant before a soft '''g''': '''dó'''d'''g'''e, '''é'''d'''gy, ló'''d'''ging, bá'''d'''ger, brí'''d'''g'''e''', wé'''d'''g'''e; for most speakers in '''Wé'''d'''n'''e'''sday'''; and before a French '''j''' in D'''jiboûti, Abi'''d'''jàn | ||
'''DH''': '''cèilì'''dh (*câlêy) | |||
'''[[E]]''': very commonly as final mute '''e''', usually lengthening the preceding vowel, as in '''lât'''e''', kît'''e''', hôp'''e''', Jûn'''e; in the regular past tense ending, as in '''loòk'''e'''d''', '''lëarn'''e'''d''';<ref>Though there is an adjective with the '''e''' pronounced, '''lëarned''' *lërníd</ref> exemplifying both of these uses, as in '''hop'''e'''d''', '''wân'''e'''d'''; in '''h'''e'''àrt, h'''e'''àrth'''; redundant in '''y'''e'''ôman'''; and in '''síng'''e'''ing''' (*sínjing, from '''síng'''e, to distinguish it from '''sínging''', from '''síng''') | '''[[E]]''': very commonly as final mute '''e''', usually lengthening the preceding vowel, as in '''lât'''e''', kît'''e''', hôp'''e''', Jûn'''e; in the regular past tense ending, as in '''loòk'''e'''d''', '''lëarn'''e'''d''';<ref>Though there is an adjective with the '''e''' pronounced, '''lëarned''' *lërníd</ref> exemplifying both of these uses, as in '''hop'''e'''d''', '''wân'''e'''d'''; in '''h'''e'''àrt, h'''e'''àrth'''; redundant in '''y'''e'''ôman'''; and in '''síng'''e'''ing''' (*sínjing, from '''síng'''e, to distinguish it from '''sínging''', from '''síng''') | ||
'''[[F]]''': '''hâ'''lf'''penny''' (*hâypəny) | '''[[F]]''': '''hâ'''lf'''penny''' (*hâypəny), '''fí'''f'''th''' | ||
'''[[G]]''': before '''n''': '''sî'''g'''n, desî'''g'''n, dèi'''g'''n, rèi'''g'''n''' ''monarch'' (= '''rain''' ''weather''), '''campâi'''g'''n''', '''fóre'''ig'''n''' (BrE *fórən, AmE *fŏrən), '''sóvere'''ig'''n''' (BrE *sóvrin, AmE *sàvrən); g'''násh, '''g'''nåw, '''g'''nôme, '''g'''nát, '''g'''nàrled, Colô'''g'''ne''' and in '''phlé'''g'''m | '''[[G]]''': before '''n''': '''sî'''g'''n, desî'''g'''n, dèi'''g'''n, rèi'''g'''n''' ''monarch'' (= '''rain''' ''weather''), '''campâi'''g'''n''', '''fóre'''ig'''n''' (BrE *fórən, AmE *fŏrən), '''sóvere'''ig'''n''' (BrE *sóvrin, AmE *sàvrən); g'''násh, '''g'''nåw, '''g'''nôme, '''g'''nát, '''g'''nàrled, Colô'''g'''ne''' and in '''phlé'''g'''m''' (but pronounced in '''phlegmátic''') | ||
'''[[GH]]''': '''sî'''gh''', rî'''gh'''t, fí'''gh'''t, frí'''gh'''t, ni'''gh'''t, fŏu'''gh'''t, ŏu'''gh'''t, cåu'''gh'''t, èi'''gh'''t, wèi'''gh'''t | '''[[GH]]''': '''sî'''gh''', rî'''gh'''t, fí'''gh'''t, frí'''gh'''t, ni'''gh'''t, fŏu'''gh'''t, ŏu'''gh'''t, cåu'''gh'''t, èi'''gh'''t, wèi'''gh'''t | ||
'''[[H]]''': h'''ônour''', h'''ónest''', h'''éir, '''h'''òur, vê'''h'''icle, àùtobà'''h'''n''', '''ô'''h''', ô'''h'''m''', '''Jó'''h'''n''' (cf. '''Jôan'''), '''T'''h'''aîland, g'''h'''ôst, g'''h'''àstly''', in the BrE name-suffix -h'''am''': '''Bécken'''h'''am, Chélten'''h'''am, Twícken'''h'''am''', and almost always after a consonant: see '''[[H]]''' for an alphabetical list of two-letter combinations from '''àh''' to '''zh | '''[[H]]''': h'''ônour''', h'''ónest''', h'''éir, '''h'''òur, vê'''h'''icle, àùtobà'''h'''n''', '''ô'''h''', ô'''h'''m''', '''Jó'''h'''n''' (cf. '''Jôan'''), '''T'''h'''aîland''', '''Kat'''h'''mandû''', '''Dél'''h'''i, g'''h'''ôst, g'''h'''àstly''', in the BrE name-suffix -h'''am''': '''Bécken'''h'''am, Chélten'''h'''am, Twícken'''h'''am''', and almost always after a consonant: see '''[[H]]''' for an alphabetical list of two-letter combinations from '''àh''' to '''zh | ||
'''[[I]]''': after '''u''': '''sû'''i'''t, recrû'''i'''t, frû'''i'''t, jû'''i'''ce, slu'''î'''ce, brû'''i'''se, crû'''i'''se'''; in '''cárr'''i'''age''' and '''márr'''i'''age'''; in several unstressed -'''a'''i'''n''' and -'''e'''i'''gn''' endings: '''cërta'''i'''n''' (*sërtən), '''cürta'''i'''n''' (*kërtən), '''Bríta'''i'''n''' (*Bríttən), '''fóre'''ig'''n''' (BrE *fórən, AmE *fŏrən), '''sóvere'''ig'''n''' (BrE *sóvrin, AmE *sàvrən); in '''plá'''i'''d''' (optionally), '''plá'''i'''t''', '''fr'''i'''énd''', '''pàrl'''i'''ament''', '''bus'''i'''ness''' (*bíznəs), '''S'''i'''ou'''x (*Soô),''' Sål'''i'''sbury''' (*Sålzbəri) | '''[[I]]''': after '''u''': '''sû'''i'''t, recrû'''i'''t, frû'''i'''t, jû'''i'''ce, slu'''î'''ce, brû'''i'''se, crû'''i'''se'''; in '''cárr'''i'''age''' and '''márr'''i'''age'''; in several unstressed -'''a'''i'''n''' and -'''e'''i'''gn''' endings: '''cërta'''i'''n''' (*sërtən), '''cürta'''i'''n''' (*kërtən), '''Bríta'''i'''n''' (*Bríttən), '''fóre'''ig'''n''' (BrE *fórən, AmE *fŏrən), '''sóvere'''ig'''n''' (BrE *sóvrin, AmE *sàvrən); in '''plá'''i'''d''' (optionally), '''plá'''i'''t''', '''fr'''i'''énd''', '''pàrl'''i'''ament''', '''bus'''i'''ness''' (*bíznəs), '''S'''i'''ou'''x (*Soô),''' Sål'''i'''sbury''' (*Sålzbəri) | ||
'''[[J]]''' in '''mari'''j'''uàna''' and AmE J'''uàn''' | |||
'''[[K]]''', initially, before '''n''': k'''nôw, '''k'''nêe, '''k'''nîght, '''k'''nít, '''k'''nâve, '''k'''nóll, '''k'''nót, '''k'''nîfe, '''k'''nêad''' ''massage''; redundant after '''c''', as in '''bác'''k | '''[[K]]''', initially, before '''n''': k'''nôw, '''k'''nêe, '''k'''nîght, '''k'''nít, '''k'''nâve, '''k'''nóll, '''k'''nót, '''k'''nîfe, '''k'''nêad''' ''massage''; redundant after '''c''', as in '''bác'''k | ||
| Line 60: | Line 64: | ||
'''[[O]]''': after '''e''': '''pê'''o'''ple, lé'''o'''pard, jé'''o'''pardy, Gé'''o'''ffrey''' (= '''Jéffrey''') and all BrE examples from Latin of o'''ê''': '''ph'''o'''ênix''', o'''ênólogy, f'''o'''êtus''' (where AmE omits the '''o'''); optionally in the BrE unstressed ending -'''b'''or'''ough''' (-brə or -bərə): '''Mårlb'''or'''ough''' (*Målbrə, *Målbərə), '''Scàrb'''or'''ough''' (*Scàbrə, *Scàbərə);<ref>The same pronunciation occurs in '''Édinb'''u'''rgh''' (*Édinbrə, *Édinbərə) but not in '''Píttsbürgh''' (*Píttsbürg)</ref> and in '''chóc'''o'''lat'''e (*chóclət) and '''èy'''o'''t''' ''islet'' (= '''èi'''gh'''t''' ''8'') | '''[[O]]''': after '''e''': '''pê'''o'''ple, lé'''o'''pard, jé'''o'''pardy, Gé'''o'''ffrey''' (= '''Jéffrey''') and all BrE examples from Latin of o'''ê''': '''ph'''o'''ênix''', o'''ênólogy, f'''o'''êtus''' (where AmE omits the '''o'''); optionally in the BrE unstressed ending -'''b'''or'''ough''' (-brə or -bərə): '''Mårlb'''or'''ough''' (*Målbrə, *Målbərə), '''Scàrb'''or'''ough''' (*Scàbrə, *Scàbərə);<ref>The same pronunciation occurs in '''Édinb'''u'''rgh''' (*Édinbrə, *Édinbərə) but not in '''Píttsbürgh''' (*Píttsbürg)</ref> and in '''chóc'''o'''lat'''e (*chóclət) and '''èy'''o'''t''' ''islet'' (= '''èi'''gh'''t''' ''8'') | ||
'''[[P]]''': before '''t''': '''recêi'''p'''t''', p'''tàrmigan''', p'''terodáctyl'''; before '''n: '''p'''neumátic''', p'''neumônia'''; before '''s''': p'''sàlm''', p'''seûd | '''[[P]]''': before '''t''': '''recêi'''p'''t''', p'''tàrmigan''', p'''terodáctyl'''; before '''n: '''p'''neumátic''', p'''neumônia'''; before '''s''': p'''sàlm''', p'''seûd'''; and in '''to'''p'''gállant''' | ||
'''[[Q]]''': ''' | '''[[Q]]''': '''Co'''lqu'''hoûn''' (*Cohoôn) | ||
'''[[R]]''': | '''[[R]]''': In non-rhotic ponunciations, such as the standard [[British English]] of most of England, and also in some areas in the US ('''r''' is always pronounced in Scotland and most of the US)—a small selection: '''î'''r'''on, à'''r'''m, à'''r'''t, cént'''re''', mü'''r'''der, pãi'''r''', mŏ'''re''', dŏo'''r''', desî'''re''', squã'''re''', hî'''re''', pë'''r'''son, Thü'''r'''sday'''; also in a few French borrowings like '''bùstiè'''r (BrE; AmE *bûstiây, *bəstiay) | ||
'''RPS''': '''cŏ'''rps ('''r''' sounded in AmE) | '''RPS''': '''cŏ'''rps ('''r''' sounded in AmE) | ||
| Line 75: | Line 79: | ||
'''UE''': '''tòng'''ue, '''burlésq'''ue, '''grotésq'''ue, '''vâg'''ue, '''rôg'''ue, '''barôq'''ue, '''unìq'''ue, '''plâg'''ue; BrE only: '''cátalóg'''ue, '''dîalóg'''ue (-'''lóg''' in AmE) | '''UE''': '''tòng'''ue, '''burlésq'''ue, '''grotésq'''ue, '''vâg'''ue, '''rôg'''ue, '''barôq'''ue, '''unìq'''ue, '''plâg'''ue; BrE only: '''cátalóg'''ue, '''dîalóg'''ue (-'''lóg''' in AmE) | ||
'''[[V]]''' is silent in '''Leveson-Gǒwer''' (pronounced *Loôson-Gǒre), in the title of the Marquess of '''Abergavenny''' (pronounced Abergenny; note that the place itself is pronounced as spelt) and in many English-speakers' pronunciation of the Russian name V'''sévolod'''; traditionally it was also silent in '''Dáventry''', pronounced *Dâintry, but this name is now usually pronounced as spelt | |||
'''[[W]]''': '''t'''w'''o''' ''2'' (= '''to''' ''preposition'' = '''toô''' ''many, also''), w'''ho''' (*hû), w'''hôle''' ''entire'' (= '''hôle''' ''space''), '''s'''w'''ŏrd, àns'''w'''er, '''w'''rîte''' ''paper'', w'''róng, '''w'''réstle, a'''w'''rŷ, å'''w'''ful, bôats'''w'''ain''' (can be written '''bôsun'''), and before a consonant in the next word: k'''nò'''w''', nò'''w''', ye'''w ''tree'' (= '''yoû''' ''me''); often in the BrE name-suffix -w'''ích''': '''Nór'''w'''ich''' (*Nórrich, *Nórrij), '''Gréen'''w'''ich''' (*Grénnich, *Grénnij, *Grínnij) and '''Hár'''w'''ich''' (*Hárrich, *Hàrrij)—though '''w''' is pronounced and '''ch''' is always itself in '''Ípswich'''; often in the BrE name-suffix -w'''íck''': '''Bér'''w'''ick''' (*Bérrik), '''Ẁar'''w'''ick''' (*Wórrik), '''Kés'''w'''ick''' (*Kézzik), '''Chís'''w'''ick''' (*Chízzik) | '''[[W]]''': '''t'''w'''o''' ''2'' (= '''to''' ''preposition'' = '''toô''' ''many, also''), w'''ho''' (*hû), w'''hôle''' ''entire'' (= '''hôle''' ''space''), '''s'''w'''ŏrd, àns'''w'''er, '''w'''rîte''' ''paper'', w'''róng, '''w'''réstle, a'''w'''rŷ, å'''w'''ful, bôats'''w'''ain''' (can be written '''bôsun'''), and before a consonant in the next word: k'''nò'''w''', nò'''w''', ye'''w ''tree'' (= '''yoû''' ''me''); often in the BrE name-suffix -w'''ích''': '''Nór'''w'''ich''' (*Nórrich, *Nórrij), '''Gréen'''w'''ich''' (*Grénnich, *Grénnij, *Grínnij) and '''Hár'''w'''ich''' (*Hárrich, *Hàrrij)—though '''w''' is pronounced and '''ch''' is always itself in '''Ípswich'''; often in the BrE name-suffix -w'''íck''': '''Bér'''w'''ick''' (*Bérrik), '''Ẁar'''w'''ick''' (*Wórrik), '''Kés'''w'''ick''' (*Kézzik), '''Chís'''w'''ick''' (*Chízzik) | ||
| Line 85: | Line 91: | ||
==Invisible letters== | ==Invisible letters== | ||
A | A somewhat rarer phenomenon in English is the '''invisible letter''', the opposite of a silent one, a letter which is pronounced but not written. | ||
*There is an invisible initial | *There is an invisible initial '''w''' in '''òne''', which has the same pronunciation as the past tense of the verb '''to wín''': '''òne''' ''1'' = '''wòn''' ''win''. | ||
*In some American writing, in what in British English would be a sounded apostrophe plus '''s''', the '''s''' is omitted in writing but still sounded: BrE '''Jônes's cát''' = AmE '''Jônes' cát'''; this should not be confused with the plural possessive '''s'''' as in '''thêse càrs' lîghts''' (cf. '''thís càr's lîghts'''), '''sòme còuntries' lêaders''', which is common to British and American, and which does not have an extra '''s''' sound. (The written habit has led to a tendency to follow suit in speech, e.g. in the song "'''Béttê Dâvis' Eŷes'''", which is sung as '''Dâvis''', not '''Dâvis's'''.) | |||
*In [[British English]] and [[Commonwealth English]], there is a frequently sounded '''r''' between two words, the first of which ends in a vowel sound, and the second of which begins with one. In '''Mr Zénda ís hêre to sêe yoû''', many speakers will pronounce an unwritten '''r''' between the final '''a''' of '''Zénda''' and the following word '''ís''', as if '''Zénda''' were spelt "Zender" (which in a [[non-rhotic]] variant such as BrE would sound the same). Unlike the first example, this is not a compulsory usage, and the invisible '''r''' may be replaced by a glottal stop, or the first word may glide into the second with no '''r''' sound—in rapid, informal speech, of course, one would say: '''Mr Zénda's...''' | *In [[British English]] and [[Commonwealth English]], there is a frequently sounded '''r''' between two words, the first of which ends in a vowel sound, and the second of which begins with one. In '''Mr Zénda ís hêre to sêe yoû''', many speakers will pronounce an unwritten '''r''' between the final '''a''' of '''Zénda''' and the following word '''ís''', as if '''Zénda''' were spelt "Zender" (which in a [[non-rhotic]] variant such as BrE would sound the same). Unlike the first example, this is not a compulsory usage, and the invisible '''r''' may be replaced by a glottal stop, or the first word may glide into the second with no '''r''' sound—in rapid, informal speech, of course, one would say: '''Mr Zénda's...''' | ||
*The Scottish word '''búrgh''' can be pronounced as the equivalent '''bòrough''' is in England, *búrə. | *The Scottish word '''búrgh''' can be pronounced as the equivalent '''bòrough''' is in England, *búrə. | ||
*There is an invisible '''á''' following the '''M''' in names like '''McEnroe''' and '''McIlroy''', which both begin Máck-: in some versions, and in other such names, the '''á''' is of course visible: '''MácKintosh''' ''person'' = '''máckintosh''' ''raincoat'', as it is in '''Mackénzie''', '''MacKénzie'''; and it really is unnecessary in the likes of '''McCǒrmack''' *Məcǒrməck. | *There is an invisible '''á''' following the '''M''' in names like '''McEnroe''' and '''McIlroy''', which both begin Máck-: in some versions, and in other such names, the '''á''' is of course visible: '''MácKintosh''' ''person'' = '''máckintosh''' ''raincoat'', as it is in '''Mackénzie''', '''MacKénzie'''; and it really is unnecessary in the likes of '''McCǒrmack''' *Məcǒrməck. | ||
*In slow speech, in '''Northámpton''' and '''Southámpton''', an aspirate '''h''' may be heard in addition to the '''h''' of '''th'''. | *A variant pronunciation of '''St Jóhn''' *Səntjón is *Sínjən, with an invisible '''í'''. | ||
* | *In slow speech, in '''Northámpton''' and '''Southámpton''', and in '''Lêithead''', an aspirate '''h''' may be heard in addition to the '''h''' of '''th'''. Similarly, '''thréshold''' can sound like either "'''thrésh ôld'''" or "'''thrésh hôld'''", cf. '''lêasehôld'''. | ||
*A comparatively common type is where English speakers attempt to pronounce foreign names with unfamiliar consonant clusters, and insert extra vowels to make it easier: e.g. '''Khmér''', where the '''h''' represents an aspirate between two other consonants, is often pronounced *Kəmãir. This is a very old phenomenon, as witness the transformation of the Viking '''Knût''' into '''Canûte'''. | |||
*From Russian and related languages, names that have the letter Е, е, which sounds roughly like 'yé', often omit the consonantal 'y' from the transliteration: '''Evgény''' = '''Yevgény'''—which, strictly speaking, has a second invisible 'y': *Yevgyény (Евгений). | |||
== | ==Letter inversion== | ||
A related phenomenon is pronunciation of letters in a different order from the written one. | |||
*In Scotland, North America, etc., '''wh''' is pronounced "hw" (this phoneme has also been analysed as an unvoiced '''w'''). | *In Scotland, North America, etc., '''wh''' is pronounced "hw" (this phoneme has also been analysed as an unvoiced '''w'''). | ||
*Many speakers pronounce '''nûclêar''' as *nûcular (though this is regarded as incorrect). | *Many speakers pronounce '''nûclêar''' as *nûcular (though this is regarded as incorrect). | ||
*In some proper names, the ending -'''thŏrp'''('''e''') is pronounced -thrəp or -trəp (in spelling too, alongside the names '''Thŏrp'''('''e''') and '''Thrúpp''', the endings -'''throp''' and -'''thrup''' are also found). | |||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
{{:English spellings/Accents}}[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] | |||
Latest revision as of 11:01, 18 October 2024
Silent letters
Silent letters constitute a notorious phenomenon in English: in wréstle, for example, only four out of the seven letters are actually sounded (*résl), and there can be strings of them in place names, exemplified by the trio Léicester, Glóucester and Worcester, pronounced Léster, *Glóster and *Wùster. (The accents show stress and pronunciation, see English spellings; there is also a key at the foot of this page; * is placed before an incorrect spelling.)
Silent letters can be misleading, as in Thaîland and îsland, which rhyme, or they can be easy to ignore ("redundant"), as in wróng, yeôman, and lôw.
They can serve to distinguish between words that sound the same:
knôw knowledge = nô negative
knót tie = nót negative
wráp parcel = ráp knock, talk
wrîte read = rîght correct = rîte ritual
chéck verify = BrE chéque money
Some typical examples
- b finally after m or before final t (-mb -bt)
- g or k initially before n (gn-, kn-)
- gh finally or before final t (-gh -ght)
- l after à and before final f or m (-lf -lm)
- n finally after m (-mn).
Alphabetical list
Silent A is found in: hëard, lëarn, Múrray = Mòray; all examples from Latin of aê: nébulaê, fŏrmulaê; in fôrecastle (*fôxl, also fô'c's'le) and in the standard British English pronunciation of words ending in -ary: sécondary, díctionary
B: thúmb, dúmb, númb, clîmb, límb, débt, dòubt, súbtle
C: indîct, Tûcsón, Connécticut, blancmànge (*bləmónzh); sometimes there is a redundant soft c after s before a front vowel: scêne, scîence, effervésce
CH: yàcht (*yót)
D is redundant before a soft g: dódge, édgy, lódging, bádger, brídge, wédge; for most speakers in Wédnesday; and before a French j in Djiboûti, Abidjàn
DH: cèilìdh (*câlêy)
E: very commonly as final mute e, usually lengthening the preceding vowel, as in lâte, kîte, hôpe, Jûne; in the regular past tense ending, as in loòked, lëarned;[1] exemplifying both of these uses, as in hoped, wâned; in heàrt, heàrth; redundant in yeôman; and in síngeing (*sínjing, from sínge, to distinguish it from sínging, from síng)
F: hâlfpenny (*hâypəny), fífth
G: before n: sîgn, desîgn, dèign, rèign monarch (= rain weather), campâign, fóreign (BrE *fórən, AmE *fŏrən), sóvereign (BrE *sóvrin, AmE *sàvrən); gnásh, gnåw, gnôme, gnát, gnàrled, Colôgne and in phlégm (but pronounced in phlegmátic)
GH: sîgh, rîght, fíght, fríght, night, fŏught, ŏught, cåught, èight, wèight
H: hônour, hónest, héir, hòur, vêhicle, àùtobàhn, ôh, ôhm, Jóhn (cf. Jôan), Thaîland, Kathmandû, Délhi, ghôst, ghàstly, in the BrE name-suffix -ham: Béckenham, Chéltenham, Twíckenham, and almost always after a consonant: see H for an alphabetical list of two-letter combinations from àh to zh
I: after u: sûit, recrûit, frûit, jûice, sluîce, brûise, crûise; in cárriage and márriage; in several unstressed -ain and -eign endings: cërtain (*sërtən), cürtain (*kërtən), Brítain (*Bríttən), fóreign (BrE *fórən, AmE *fŏrən), sóvereign (BrE *sóvrin, AmE *sàvrən); in pláid (optionally), pláit, friénd, pàrliament, business (*bíznəs), Sioux (*Soô), Sålisbury (*Sålzbəri)
J in marijuàna and AmE Juàn
K, initially, before n: knôw, knêe, knîght, knít, knâve, knóll, knót, knîfe, knêad massage; redundant after c, as in báck
L: before d: coùld (*koòd, *kəd), woùld (= woòd tree, *wəd), shoùld (*shoòd, *shəd); before m: càlm, bàlm, psàlm, sálmon, Málcolm (*Málkəm); before f: càlf, hàlf, hâlfpenny; before v: càlve, hàlve; before k: fôlk, tålk, wålk, and in Líncoln
M: mnemónic
N: after m: cólumn (and optionally cólumnist), condémn, hýmn, åutumn, dámn, sólemn
NC: blancmange (*bləmónzh)
O: after e: pêople, léopard, jéopardy, Géoffrey (= Jéffrey) and all BrE examples from Latin of oê: phoênix, oênólogy, foêtus (where AmE omits the o); optionally in the BrE unstressed ending -borough (-brə or -bərə): Mårlborough (*Målbrə, *Målbərə), Scàrborough (*Scàbrə, *Scàbərə);[2] and in chócolate (*chóclət) and èyot islet (= èight 8)
P: before t: recêipt, ptàrmigan, pterodáctyl; before n: pneumátic, pneumônia; before s: psàlm, pseûd; and in topgállant
Q: Colquhoûn (*Cohoôn)
R: In non-rhotic ponunciations, such as the standard British English of most of England, and also in some areas in the US (r is always pronounced in Scotland and most of the US)—a small selection: îron, àrm, àrt, céntre, mürder, pãir, mŏre, dŏor, desîre, squãre, hîre, përson, Thürsday; also in a few French borrowings like bùstièr (BrE; AmE *bûstiây, *bəstiay)
RPS: cŏrps (r sounded in AmE)
S: chássis, prècis, Àrkansås, Íllinois, Des Mŏines (*Dimŏyn), Loûisville (*Loôivíl), îsland, îsle = aîsle, rendezvous (*róndâyvoô)
T: after s: lísten, whístle, wréstle, càstle, mústn’t; bùffèt, óften, mŏrtgage, bìdèt, Màrgot, wåltz (*wålss), bôatswain, (can be written bôsun), Tchaikóvsky, tsunàmi, and before ch in words such as ítch, cátch
U: bìscuit, cïrcuit, buíld, buŏyant, guíld, guílt, guîde, guàrd, guéss, guést, āunt
UE: tòngue, burlésque, grotésque, vâgue, rôgue, barôque, unìque, plâgue; BrE only: cátalógue, dîalógue (-lóg in AmE)
V is silent in Leveson-Gǒwer (pronounced *Loôson-Gǒre), in the title of the Marquess of Abergavenny (pronounced Abergenny; note that the place itself is pronounced as spelt) and in many English-speakers' pronunciation of the Russian name Vsévolod; traditionally it was also silent in Dáventry, pronounced *Dâintry, but this name is now usually pronounced as spelt
W: two 2 (= to preposition = toô many, also), who (*hû), whôle entire (= hôle space), swŏrd, ànswer, wrîte paper, wróng, wréstle, awrŷ, åwful, bôatswain (can be written bôsun), and before a consonant in the next word: knòw, nòw, yew tree (= yoû me); often in the BrE name-suffix -wích: Nórwich (*Nórrich, *Nórrij), Gréenwich (*Grénnich, *Grénnij, *Grínnij) and Hárwich (*Hárrich, *Hàrrij)—though w is pronounced and ch is always itself in Ípswich; often in the BrE name-suffix -wíck: Bérwick (*Bérrik), Ẁarwick (*Wórrik), Késwick (*Kézzik), Chíswick (*Chízzik)
X: faux-pàs (*fô-pà), Sioux (*Soô) and French plurals of -au words: cháteaux (*shátô), tábleaux (táblô)
Y: Îslay (*Îlə), Pêpys (= pêeps), Sándys (= Sánds = sánds)
Z: lâissèz-fãire, rendezvous (*róndâyvoô)
Invisible letters
A somewhat rarer phenomenon in English is the invisible letter, the opposite of a silent one, a letter which is pronounced but not written.
- There is an invisible initial w in òne, which has the same pronunciation as the past tense of the verb to wín: òne 1 = wòn win.
- In some American writing, in what in British English would be a sounded apostrophe plus s, the s is omitted in writing but still sounded: BrE Jônes's cát = AmE Jônes' cát; this should not be confused with the plural possessive s' as in thêse càrs' lîghts (cf. thís càr's lîghts), sòme còuntries' lêaders, which is common to British and American, and which does not have an extra s sound. (The written habit has led to a tendency to follow suit in speech, e.g. in the song "Béttê Dâvis' Eŷes", which is sung as Dâvis, not Dâvis's.)
- In British English and Commonwealth English, there is a frequently sounded r between two words, the first of which ends in a vowel sound, and the second of which begins with one. In Mr Zénda ís hêre to sêe yoû, many speakers will pronounce an unwritten r between the final a of Zénda and the following word ís, as if Zénda were spelt "Zender" (which in a non-rhotic variant such as BrE would sound the same). Unlike the first example, this is not a compulsory usage, and the invisible r may be replaced by a glottal stop, or the first word may glide into the second with no r sound—in rapid, informal speech, of course, one would say: Mr Zénda's...
- The Scottish word búrgh can be pronounced as the equivalent bòrough is in England, *búrə.
- There is an invisible á following the M in names like McEnroe and McIlroy, which both begin Máck-: in some versions, and in other such names, the á is of course visible: MácKintosh person = máckintosh raincoat, as it is in Mackénzie, MacKénzie; and it really is unnecessary in the likes of McCǒrmack *Məcǒrməck.
- A variant pronunciation of St Jóhn *Səntjón is *Sínjən, with an invisible í.
- In slow speech, in Northámpton and Southámpton, and in Lêithead, an aspirate h may be heard in addition to the h of th. Similarly, thréshold can sound like either "thrésh ôld" or "thrésh hôld", cf. lêasehôld.
- A comparatively common type is where English speakers attempt to pronounce foreign names with unfamiliar consonant clusters, and insert extra vowels to make it easier: e.g. Khmér, where the h represents an aspirate between two other consonants, is often pronounced *Kəmãir. This is a very old phenomenon, as witness the transformation of the Viking Knût into Canûte.
- From Russian and related languages, names that have the letter Е, е, which sounds roughly like 'yé', often omit the consonantal 'y' from the transliteration: Evgény = Yevgény—which, strictly speaking, has a second invisible 'y': *Yevgyény (Евгений).
Letter inversion
A related phenomenon is pronunciation of letters in a different order from the written one.
- In Scotland, North America, etc., wh is pronounced "hw" (this phoneme has also been analysed as an unvoiced w).
- Many speakers pronounce nûclêar as *nûcular (though this is regarded as incorrect).
- In some proper names, the ending -thŏrp(e) is pronounced -thrəp or -trəp (in spelling too, alongside the names Thŏrp(e) and Thrúpp, the endings -throp and -thrup are also found).
Notes
- The accents show stress and pronunciation (see English spellings): A: sát, mâde, pàrk, cāst (cást/càst), åll, ãir; E: ére, êar, vèin, fërn; I: sít, mîne, skì, bïrd; O: sóng, môde, lòve, wörd, ŏr; OO: moôn, foòt; U: sún, mûse, fùll, pürr; W: neŵ, ẁant; Y: gým, mŷ, keỳ, mÿrrh.