The Truth about the English Language and What It Sounds Like

When English was born, it was a combination of a very rough Anglo + Saxon dialect.

We call this Old English. It was derived (created

from) the language of a German tribe.

“What Are the Origins of the English Language?” Merriam-Webster.com. 11 March 2010 <http://www.merriam-webster.com/help/faq/history.html

Have you ever seen German words like “Guten Morgen” and “Guten Tag?”

These phrases mean “Good Morning” and “Good Day.”

They are pronounced pretty much the way they are spelled.

“What Are the Origins of the English Language?” Merriam-Webster.com. 11 March 2010 <http://www.merriam- webster.com/help/faq/history.html

You probably can’t read this excerpt because you don’t know what some of the words and letters are in order to know how they sound…

Sample Old English Passage:Sample Old English Passage:Eft he axode, hu ðære ðeode nama wære þe hi of comon. Him wæs geandwyrd, þæt hi Angle genemnode wæron.

Philologists estimate that sometime between the 12th and 15th Centuries, French and Latin got mixed into the Anglo-Saxon Old English.

SO MANY CHANGES TOOK PLACE, that we call this language “Middle English.”

The French language DOES NOT follow phonetic rules as closely.

Some letters go SILENT. Some letters have MANY

SOUNDS. Some letters have SOUNDS

THAT CHANGE when blended with other letters.

Common French Phrases:Common French Phrases:Comment tu-va?A tout à l'heure!Enchanté(e)

Here’s a Middle English excerpt:In þat lond ben trees þat beren wolle, as þogh it were of scheep; whereof men maken clothes, and all þing þat may ben made of wolle.

Notice ThatNotice That: Some letter types and words

are gone. Some silent letters are

included. The phonetics (letter system

for writing) and phonics system (system of sounds) are connected.

Quid agis? How are you? Gratias! Thank You Valeō I’m fine; thanks. Salūtātiō! You’re Welcome!Notice: NONE of these words LOOK like Anglo-

Saxon. NONE of these words SOUND like Anglo-

Saxon. IMAGINE how much these words

CHANGED Anglo-Saxon!

As English speakers came into contact with speakers of many other languages (through travel), the “English” language:

Inherited NEW WORDS from those languages

Inherited NEW SOUNDS from those languages

Inherited NEW PHONETIC CHARACTERS like accents

Yes, that leaves you trying to pronounce and spell words that:

Look NOTHING like they sound

Look alike but are pronounced DIFFERENTLY

Include SILENT LETTERS Include complicated

CONSONANT BLENDS

There are LONG and SHORT vowels There are HARD and SOFT consonants There are CONSONANT BLENDS There are VOWEL BLENDS There are SILENT LETTERS that CHANGE

the sounds of other letters. There are STRESSED and

UNSTRESSED sounds.

Short “A”Bat Ah What Short “E”Wet Chew Short “I”Clip Swift Short “O”Stop Bought

Boot Short “U”Cut Yuck!

Long “A”Ate Wait Hay Long “E”Bleach Sleep Long “I”Swipe Climb Long “O”Oat Ode Long “U”Soup Blue Flu

And the way you say it, will affect the way you spell it!!!

When it doubt about a new word, use a dictionary’s pronunciation key for help with pronunciation!!!

Today, we are going to

pronounce some new words using a pronunciation

key!!!

Affidavit (\ˌa-fə-ˈdā-vət\) Cavalry (\ˈka-vəl-rē\) Electoral (\i-ˈlek-t(ə-)rəl\) Heimlich (\ˈhīm-lik-\) Lambaste (\lam-ˈbāst\) Mayonnaise (\ˈmā-ə-ˌnāz\) Nuptial (\ˈnəp-shəl\) Prerogative (\pri-ˈrä-gə-tiv\) Respite (\ˈres-pət\)