A simple question
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
So, how would you pronounce 'Featherstonhaugh'?
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
Languages aren't static and written forms lag the spoken version. English has the advantage(?) of being highly mutable. It can be put a bit snarkily[^] (and delectably non KSS hence the link) On a more serious note I can recommend a good if very dense book about how languages evolve: The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention [^]. Don't plan on reading it in bits and pieces on the throne or right before bed if you want to get anything out of it though.
The latest nation. Procrastination.
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So, how would you pronounce 'Featherstonhaugh'?
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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Gin, gin, gin, gin, gin, gin, gin... I know a song about gin, only I can't remember it unless I've had plenty of gin :)
May I suggest that you research that and get back to us? :)
BDF People don't mind being mean; but they never want to be ridiculous. -- Moliere
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
Probably because English is a mish-mash of languages mixed together, with only one orthography trying to represent all the different sounds (see: OUGH in cough, bough, though, through, thought). I'm all in favour of limited rationalisation of the spelling of English, but I've been involved in "spelling wars" before and it's not pleasant. :laugh:
I hope you realise that hamsters are very creative when it comes to revenge. - Elaine
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Henry Minute wrote:
Featherstonhaugh
gh = f. Rest normal.
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
I refer the honourable gentleman to List_of_names_in_English_with_counterintuitive_pronunciations[^]. Unless there is an explanation there, I have no idea why, or how, it came to be spelled/pronounced that way. It is one of those that is well known to those that like these sorts of puzzles.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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I refer the honourable gentleman to List_of_names_in_English_with_counterintuitive_pronunciations[^]. Unless there is an explanation there, I have no idea why, or how, it came to be spelled/pronounced that way. It is one of those that is well known to those that like these sorts of puzzles.
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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Languages aren't static and written forms lag the spoken version. English has the advantage(?) of being highly mutable. It can be put a bit snarkily[^] (and delectably non KSS hence the link) On a more serious note I can recommend a good if very dense book about how languages evolve: The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention [^]. Don't plan on reading it in bits and pieces on the throne or right before bed if you want to get anything out of it though.
The latest nation. Procrastination.
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
I think an "i" after a "g" makes it sound like "ji", except when a word starts with 'g' digit legitimate ginger (exception) agile fragile engine are some examples
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modified on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 5:46 PM
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May I suggest that you research that and get back to us? :)
BDF People don't mind being mean; but they never want to be ridiculous. -- Moliere
Good idea - I might also remember the Gypsy Giraffe drank gin with the Magic Mage whilst eating Sage and Onion song too!
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I think an "i" after a "g" makes it sound like "ji", except when a word starts with 'g' digit legitimate ginger (exception) agile fragile engine are some examples
Pravar My Image Processing Article! Rate it!! My Blog
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modified on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 5:46 PM
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Gin, gin, gin, gin, gin, gin, gin... I know a song about gin, only I can't remember it unless I've had plenty of gin :)
Would that song, by any chance be 'I’m Ready' by Muddy Waters? The lyrics include "Young girls and gin may be the cure", if that refreshes your memory. Or maybe 'Gin & Milk' by Dirty Pretty Things? Lyrics: "I’m in to myself, On uncertain terms, I put gin in my milk, To kill all the germs". Here, dip your bread thesharkguys Top 10 songs about Gin[^].
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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Would that song, by any chance be 'I’m Ready' by Muddy Waters? The lyrics include "Young girls and gin may be the cure", if that refreshes your memory. Or maybe 'Gin & Milk' by Dirty Pretty Things? Lyrics: "I’m in to myself, On uncertain terms, I put gin in my milk, To kill all the germs". Here, dip your bread thesharkguys Top 10 songs about Gin[^].
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
Give me a chance! I've only just opened the bottle! ;)
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I am not good at reading books. Still I hope one day I will read that one. Thanks for the link. :)
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
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Give me a chance! I've only just opened the bottle! ;)
That's the trouble today, no one is interested in productivity. Think of all the prospective lay-offs at Booth's, Gilbey's and Gordon's and get stuck in!
Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
Many consonants in English have a hard sound and a soft sound. G is one of those. The vowels a, o, u following one of these consonants produces the hard sound. E and i produce the soft sound. However, there are many exceptions in English, especially in words that have been 'borrowed' from other languages. Probably more than you wanted to know. Sean
-Sean ---- It's not that I like expensive things, it's just that the things I like are expensive. - My Wife
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
I guess because that word comes from Latin: digitus. I take it that, over the time, the pronunciation was anglicized but kept the original spelling with "g". It happens in Spanish as well, dígito, pronounced as di'-hi-to.
Stupidity is an International Association - Enrique Jardiel Poncela
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Giggle, girl...
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
ok let me change the rule slightly.. an 'i' after 'g' makes it to sound like 'ji' except when a word starts with 'g'.
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Why is "digit" spelled with a "g" and pronounced as "dijit"? I mean "g" has a different pronounciation (the one in "gun") in most of the words I know. While, "j" as pronounced in "jug" would fit better in word digit. Any English masters here who can explain?
It's not necessary to be so stupid, either, but people manage it. - Christian Graus, 2009 AD
Well, ask a spanish man/women why they pronounce "j" as "h" (Heres de la frontera (sorry: Jeres ...) is beautiful) Ask french men why they need more than 5 letters to write "Bordo" (even more beautiful than ... well, both are good). And, please, dont ask me why we in Ukraine write simple words with those strange letters. So we are -- the human beings, we do strange things and this differs us from those, who, well, do not live even in caves.