help please!
2007-01-30 19:30:00 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Centuries ago, it was spelled (and pronounced) "coronel", and "kernel" was the lazy form of that. It was changed to better reflect the Old Italian roots, colonna (column) and colonello (commander of a 'column' of troops).
2007-01-30 19:39:01 · answer #1 · answered by gelfling 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In modern English, the word Colonel is pronounced similarly to kernel (of grain) as a result of having entered the language from Middle French in two competing forms, dissimilated coronel and colonel. The more conservative spelling colonel was favored in written use and eventually became the standard spelling even as it lost out in pronunciation to coronel.
2016-03-28 21:57:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is the cream of the team: the kernel, the key player! (lo, the 'lo' in middle is silent! hence co-nel!)
2007-01-30 19:39:36 · answer #3 · answered by swanjarvi 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
This is because we write English words by sound
2007-01-30 19:37:49 · answer #4 · answered by ConRob 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋