Why isn't phonics spelled fawnix?

Answer 1

Some ask this question as a joke, but in case you want to know something about the real reason for the spelling of this word, read on:

First -- a side note-- "aw" won't work. The vowel (at least in most dialects) is pronounced "ah", and this "on" is pronouncedx exactly the same as in the word "on".

The main issue is the "ph". The explanation for this is found in how the Greek word "phone" ("voice") came, through Latin, into English.

"ph" actually is a long-recognized representation of the f-sound. Specifically, it is a "digraph" -- or set of two letters used to represent one sound. Other standard digraphs in English are "ch", "sh" and "th".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digraph_(orthography)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H#Value

Of course, in all those cases, the alphabet lacks a consonant to represent the sound (esp. since the loss of the letters called "thorn" and "eth"-- used for the "th" sounds [with the voice -"the"; without the voice "math"]).

But there is an explanation and a value to the "ph" spelling. English borrowed it for Greek words borrowed THROUGH Latin. It was in Latin that certain conventions for representing the Greek sounds was developed. One of these was "ph" for the Greek letter "phi". (Originally, in the Latin borrowing the sound of "ph" was different from Latin "f", which explains why this new convention developed.)

By keeping the "historical orthography [=spelling]" in these cases it is still possible to recognize words of Greek origin, and sometimes to tell something more about how the word is pronounced.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_words_of_Greek_origin#The_written_form_of_Greek_words_in_English


This points out something about spelling that many are unaware of. Systems of writing (and thus spelling) are NOT simply about the sound the words make, but about their history and relationships. (This explains, for instance, why we write "soft" AND "soften" -- two related words-- even though the T in the second word becomes silent.)

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

phonics
1683, "science of sound," from Gk. **phone** "sound" (see fame). The meaning "method of teaching reading" is first attested 1908, though the system dates from 1844.
That is the closest answer I could get you.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Because it is spelled phonics

Answer 6

because in the english language...we dont spell things like they sound. That is why english is the most difficult language to learn.

Answer 7

It duzent wont you to no how to spale it crektlee.

Answer 8

because the one who made that word wants us to suffer...u know...

Answer 9

one of life's unanswered questions.

Answer 10

YES