As in Knee and Knot etc
2007-06-05 09:05:46 · 13 answers · asked by Spawnee 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
To fox foreigners
2007-06-05 12:45:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Let me explain this on an example. Let's take the word LIGHT, that is pronounced LAIT. So, you don't really need GHT, just T.
But, in medieval times, it was read "LIHT", with H that was pronounced. So, G was there only to point put that H is to be heard, not silent.
Many, many things from the language history many languages keep today, although those things seem unnecessary.
SO, we should all speak Serbian, because it is the only language in the world where you use one letter for one sound. Not more, not less. Perfect!
2007-06-05 09:25:45 · answer #2 · answered by Milica L 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi,
Phonotactic constraints, really. Basically, "kn" was considered to be difficult to pronounce and people being people and wanting to pronounce things more comfortably deemed the "new" pronunciation "n" as being more comfortable.
l
In Old English the /k/ was not silent and, as can be seen in other Germanic languages, words with the same root still pronounce the k as a voiceless velar plosive (compare German Knecht to knight, Knoten to knot, et al.).
2007-06-05 09:51:24 · answer #3 · answered by thumberlina 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
they weren't consistently silent. They have been at one situations like "ch" or "sh"- 2 letters mixed to form a different sound. The "kn" replaced into as quickly as stated extremely distinctive than "n", the "gh" replaced into stated very corresponding to the Gaelic "ch" as in loch, yet softer. on the time of the discovery of the printing press, English replaced into dealing with numerous sound differences which a approach or the different led to English to be caught with many words with incorrect phonetics.
2017-01-10 14:41:37 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why knot?
haha sorry couldn't resist.
Anyway, no particular reason, that's just how the language evolved. There's no conspiracy to confuse the English speaking population of the world.
2007-06-05 09:08:52 · answer #5 · answered by Born at an early age 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some letters in the English language sometimes drink too much and so we have to put a K (which is teetotal) next to them to hold them up. The letter "c" is a particularly hard drinker. And "n" is pretty bad too.
2007-06-05 13:04:52 · answer #6 · answered by Martin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They were pronounced at one point, and German keeps them. They are fossils of an older pronounciation system that we never bothered to change.
'Knight' has two fossils in it, the initial 'k' and the 'gh'. German 'knecht' pronounces the 'k' and the 'ch' (it's a velar or uvular fricative, sort of a cross between a 'k' and an 'h' sound in English).
2007-06-05 09:12:25 · answer #7 · answered by Doc Occam 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
English is derived from a whole variety of sources. That is what makes it so rich (if not easy!)
How about through, rough, hiccough, ?
Women?
Read? (pronounced both RED and REED)
2007-06-05 09:19:31 · answer #8 · answered by alan h 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Must be there to confuse people!!
seriously though i tried finding out but i couldn't find an explanation!
2007-06-05 09:10:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
So when a 3 year old says, "K'not" we can make fun of them. just kidding.
2007-06-05 09:13:27 · answer #10 · answered by Ted (Guitar Legend) 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋