2006-07-28 08:02:58 · 10 answers · asked by fazila m 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
They are just like the "pee" in bath - silent
2006-07-28 08:10:25 · answer #1 · answered by Wet Sam 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they almost always are a word borrowed from Greek. Ps is a letter of the Greek alphabet, psi, and is the initial letter in psychology and psalms. It is pronounced exactly like it is spelled "ps", a p followed by an s. Pneumonia is another word borrowed from Greek and represents the spelling of the Greek word pneuma "breath". It is also pronounced exactly like it is spelled in Greek, a p followed by an n.
2006-07-28 22:15:44 · answer #2 · answered by Taivo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like raymo51 says, they are Greek words e.g. psyche, psychology and pseudonym. They begin with the Greek letter Psi, which looks like a trident in the Greek alphabet. Perhaps there is some subtlety in Greek pronunciation of this letter that we are unaware of as we just use an S sound.
2006-07-28 17:37:33 · answer #3 · answered by Rotifer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason that other words have silent 'e's or 'b's or 'g's or 'n's....
2006-07-28 15:13:14 · answer #4 · answered by aitheianaea 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because psome people pspell psome words that way.
Why do you pspell pspelled as pspelt?
2006-07-28 15:26:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its because they are Greek words, not latin.
2006-07-28 15:08:28 · answer #6 · answered by Raymo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know but its the same for pswimming
2006-07-28 18:21:21 · answer #7 · answered by headcage 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have no idea. why is it that the past tense of drink is drank, but the past tense of think is not thank?
2006-07-28 15:06:39 · answer #8 · answered by Annie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
isnt it because of the original spelling, in latin?
2006-07-28 15:06:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
read 'mother tongue' by bill bryson...... fantastic book on linguistic history.
2006-07-28 17:18:40 · answer #10 · answered by emma a 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋