Why don't "tough" and "dough" rhyme? - Arika Okrent

Summary

The video script delves into the complex history of English spelling, highlighting its evolution from Old English to the influence of Latin, French, and the Great Vowel Shift. It explains how the printing press, without standardization, contributed to the irregularities in spelling, leading to a language filled with inconsistencies that make it challenging for learners. The script also touches on the ongoing debate for spelling reform to make English more intuitive.

Takeaways

• 📚 Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes in English spelling for centuries to make it more intuitive.
• 🌐 English spelling is filled with irregularities, as illustrated by the example of 'g-h-o-t-i' which could be mistakenly thought to spell 'fish'.
• 🏛 English originated from the old Germanic tribes that invaded the British Isles over 1,500 years ago, evolving into Old English.
• ✍️ The Latin alphabet was used by Roman missionaries around 600 CE to write Old English, with some Germanic runes added for unique sounds.
• 🏰 The Norman invasion of 1066 brought French into England, influencing the English language but not replacing the dominant spoken English.
• 🎓 By the mid-1400s, English was written again, but it was unstandardized and influenced by French, Latin, and spoken English.
• 📖 The arrival of the printing press in 1476 in England led to a lack of standardization in spelling due to the diverse linguistic backgrounds of the printers.
• 📝 The word 'dough' exemplifies the evolution of spelling and pronunciation, with its original guttural sound represented by 'g-h' and later pronounced as 'f'.
• 🔍 Silent letters in words like 'knife', 'gnat', and 'wrong' are remnants of past pronunciations that have changed over time.
• 🎶 The Great Vowel Shift between the 14th and 18th centuries significantly altered the pronunciation of many English vowels, affecting spelling.
• 🔠 The 'o-u' spelling in words like 'tough', 'through', and 'dough' is a result of the haphazard application of French influence during the vowel shift.
• 🌍 The complexity of English spelling makes it challenging for non-native speakers, highlighting the impact of history on the language's development.

Q & A

What event took place in June 2010 that involved young contestants wrestling with complex words?

In June 2010, the Scripps National Spelling Bee took place, where contestants aged between 8 and 15 wrestled with complex words such as 'brachydactylous' and 'leguleian'.

Why do some people protest against the complexity of English spelling conventions?

People protest against the complexity of English spelling conventions because they believe that the irregularities and inconsistencies in spelling make it difficult to learn and use the language intuitively.

What is an example given in the script to illustrate the irregularity of English spelling?

The script provides the example of combining the 'g-h' sound from 'enough,' the 'o' sound from 'women,' and the 't-i' sound from 'action,' to argue that 'g-h-o-t-i' could be mistakenly spelled as 'fish.'

How did the English language evolve from its early beginnings?

English evolved from the languages of old Germanic tribes that invaded the British Isles over 1,500 years ago. Their languages coalesced into Old English, which was later influenced by Latin, French, and the continued use of English itself.

What significant event in 1066 influenced the English language?

The Norman invasion of 1066 had a significant influence on the English language, as French speakers conquered England and French became the language of authority and high society, influencing the English language with French words.

How did the introduction of the printing press in 1476 affect English spelling?

The introduction of the printing press in 1476 led to the solidification of various spellings without standardization. Printers, possibly Flemish speakers, reproduced manuscripts with inconsistent spellings, leading to a multitude of spellings for the same word.

What is the 'Great Vowel Shift' mentioned in the script, and how did it affect English pronunciation?

The 'Great Vowel Shift' refers to a significant change in the pronunciation of many English vowels between the 14th and 18th centuries. It altered the way certain vowels were pronounced, leading to shifts in word pronunciation and the adoption of new spellings that reflected these changes.

Why do some words in English have silent letters, such as the 'g' in 'dough'?

Silent letters in English words, such as the 'g' in 'dough,' are vestiges of past pronunciations. The original guttural Germanic sound that the Latin alphabet didn't cover was represented with 'g-h,' which eventually changed or was dropped in pronunciation over time.

How did the French influence affect the spelling of words like 'tough,' 'through,' and 'dough'?

The French influence affected the spelling of words like 'tough,' 'through,' and 'dough' by adopting the 'o-u' spelling pattern. This was a haphazard application of French influence, resulting in similar spellings with distinct vowel sounds.

What challenges does the complex history of English spelling pose for non-native speakers?

The complex history of English spelling poses challenges for non-native speakers because it requires them to learn irregular spellings and pronunciations that do not always follow intuitive patterns, making the language difficult to master.

Why do spelling reformers advocate for changes in English spelling?

Spelling reformers advocate for changes in English spelling to make it more intuitive and regular, reducing the complexity and irregularities that make it challenging for both native and non-native speakers to learn and use the language.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Complex History of English Spelling

This paragraph delves into the historical development of English spelling, highlighting its complexity due to various linguistic influences. It starts with the formation of Old English from Germanic tribes and the introduction of the Latin alphabet by Roman missionaries. The Norman invasion of 1066 brought French into the mix, further complicating the language. The lack of standardization in the mid-1400s led to a mix of French, Latin, and English influences in spelling. The arrival of the printing press in 1476, operated by people who might not have been native English speakers, contributed to the diversity of spellings. The Great Vowel Shift between the 14th and 18th centuries significantly altered the pronunciation of many vowels, which often did not correspond to the spellings that had been established by the printing press. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the difficulty English poses for non-native speakers due to its irregular spelling and pronunciation.

05:01

🌐 The Impact of History on English Language

The second paragraph emphasizes the impact of historical events on the English language, making it particularly challenging to learn and master. It suggests that the 'messiness' of history has left a lasting imprint on the language, contributing to its current state of irregularity and complexity. The paragraph serves as a reflection on the cumulative effect of historical linguistic changes and how they have shaped the English language as we know it today.

Keywords

💡Brachydactylous

The term 'brachydactylous' refers to a condition of the fingers or toes where they are short or stubby. It is used in the script to illustrate the complexity of English spelling, as it is a word that would be challenging to spell, especially for young contestants in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This word exemplifies the irregularity and difficulty of English spelling conventions.

💡Leguleian

'Leguleian' is a term derived from the name of the Roman lawyer Cicero, who was known for his legal eloquence. It is used in the script to further emphasize the complexity of English words, particularly those with Latin roots, and the challenges faced by spelling bee contestants. The term is indicative of the historical linguistic influences on English spelling.

💡Irregularities

Irregularities in the context of the script refer to the inconsistencies in English spelling and pronunciation rules. The script uses 'irregularities' to highlight the unpredictable nature of English spelling, which makes it difficult to learn and spell words correctly. An example given is the 'g-h-o-t-i' sequence, which, despite not spelling 'fish,' shows the irregular phonetic representation in English.

💡Old English

Old English, also known as Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest form of the English language, spoken in the British Isles from the 5th to the 11th century. The script explains that English arose from Old Germanic tribes and evolved into Old English, which was later influenced by Latin and French, contributing to the irregularities in spelling.

💡Norman Invasion

The Norman Invasion of 1066 refers to the conquest of England by the Normans, who were French-speaking. The script mentions this event as a pivotal moment in the history of the English language, where French began to influence English vocabulary and spelling, adding to the complexity of the language.

💡Printing Press

The arrival of the printing press in England in 1476 is highlighted in the script as a significant factor in the standardization of English spelling. However, due to the lack of standardization and the influence of various languages, the printing press also contributed to the proliferation of different spellings for the same word.

💡Guttural Sound

A guttural sound refers to a type of speech sound produced in the back of the throat. In the script, the term is used to describe the original pronunciation of words like 'dough,' which ended with a guttural sound not represented in the Latin alphabet, eventually leading to the use of 'g-h' to represent it.

💡Great Vowel Shift

The Great Vowel Shift was a major change in the pronunciation of English vowels that occurred between the 14th and 18th centuries. The script explains that this shift significantly altered the way many vowels were pronounced, affecting the spelling and pronunciation of English words, and contributing to the irregularities in English spelling.

💡Diphthong

A diphthong is a complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel quality and glides into another within the same syllable. The script uses 'diphthong' to describe the change in pronunciation that occurred during the Great Vowel Shift, such as 'hus' becoming 'house,' which affected the spelling and pronunciation of English words.

💡Scripps National Spelling Bee

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual spelling competition in the United States for schoolchildren. The script uses this event to frame the discussion about the complexity of English spelling, as contestants must wrestle with challenging words and the irregularities of the language.

💡Spelling Reformers

Spelling reformers are individuals or groups advocating for changes in English spelling to make it more intuitive and regular. The script mentions these reformers in the context of the ongoing debate about the complexity of English spelling and the need for reform to make the language easier to learn and use.

Highlights

June 2010 saw the Scripps National Spelling Bee with young contestants grappling with complex words.

Protests against the complexity of English spelling conventions took place outside the event.

Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes to make English spelling more intuitive for centuries.

English language is filled with irregularities, exemplified by the pronunciation inconsistencies of 'g-h-o-t-i'.

English originated from old Germanic tribes, evolving into Old English over 1,500 years ago.

Roman missionaries around 600 CE adapted the Latin alphabet to write Old English, incorporating Germanic runes.

The Norman invasion of 1066 led to French becoming the language of authority, influencing English.

English speakers adopted some French words as the French-speaking nobility also became English speakers.

Latin's influence on English spelling came through the church and formal education.

By the mid-1400s, English spelling was unstandardized, influenced by French, Latin, and spoken English.

The arrival of the printing press in 1476 led to further inconsistencies in English spelling.

Printing press workers, possibly Flemish speakers, contributed to the variation in spelling due to manuscript inconsistencies.

The word 'dough' exemplifies the evolution of pronunciation and spelling due to the guttural Germanic sound.

The Great Vowel Shift between the 14th and 18th centuries significantly altered English vowel pronunciation.

The vowel shift led to changes in word pronunciation and the adoption of similar but distinct spellings.

The complex history of English has made it a difficult language for non-native speakers to learn.

The irregularities in English spelling are a result of historical influences and the lack of standardization.

Transcripts

It was June 2010.

Inside the Scripps National Spelling Bee,

contestants between 8- and 15-years-old wrestled words

like brachydactylous and leguleian.

Outside, a crowd protested the complexity of English spelling conventions.

Indeed, spelling reformers have been around for centuries,

advocating for overarching changes to make English spelling more intuitive.

The English language is chock-full of irregularities.

One commonly used example of this: take the “g-h” sound from “enough,”

the “o” sound from “women,” and the “t-i” sound from “action,”

and you could argue that “g-h-o-t-i” spells “fish.”

So, how did English get like this?

English arose from old Germanic tribes that invaded the British Isles

more than 1,500 years ago.

Their languages coalesced and evolved into Old English.

When Roman missionaries arrived around 600 CE,

they devised ways to write it down using the Latin alphabet,

supplementing it with some Germanic runes for sounds they didn’t have letters for.

Then came the Norman invasion of 1066 when French speakers conquered England.

French became the language of authority and high society.

But English remained the dominant spoken language.

Over time, those descended from French speakers also became English speakers,

but some French words snuck into the language.

Some English speakers were also familiar with Latin through the church

and formal education.

By the mid-1400s, people were writing in English again—

but it was unstandardized.

They used a mix of influences to determine word choice and spelling,

including the French they knew, the Latin they studied,

and the English they spoke.

So, things were already pretty messy.

Then, in 1476, the printing press arrived in England.

Some of the people working the presses may have mainly spoken Flemish—

not English.

And they were given manuscripts that varied widely in their spelling.

Without standardization, different writers went with various spellings

based in part on what they happened to encounter while reading.

Many words had a multitude of spellings.

The word “dough,” for instance,

used to be spelled in all these ways and was originally pronounced “dach.”

The guttural Germanic sound it ended with was one the Latin alphabet didn’t cover.

It eventually came to be represented with “g-h.”

But, for some “g-h” words,

English speakers eventually dropped the guttural sound altogether;

for others, they ended up pronouncing it as “f” instead,

as exemplified in “dough” versus “tough.”

Printing presses memorialized the spelling

even though the pronunciation eventually changed.

And this wasn’t just the case with “g-h.”

Some letters in other words also fell silent:

words like knife, gnat, and wrong

all contain the vestiges of past pronunciations.

But while the printing press was solidifying spellings,

the English language was also undergoing what scholars call the Great Vowel Shift.

Between the 14th and 18th centuries,

the way English speakers pronounced many vowels changed significantly.

For instance, “bawt” became “boat.”

This displaced the word for “boot,”

which had up until then been pronounced “boat,”

and pushed it into the high “u” vowel position it maintains today.

Words that already had this high “u” often became diphthongs,

with two vowels in a single syllable.

So, “hus” became “house.”

As with so many linguistic matters, there's no clear reason why this happened.

But it did.

And how the vowel shift affected a word depended on various things,

including the other sounds in the word.

The word “tough” was once “tōh,” among other variations.

“Through” was once “thruch” and “dough” “dah.”

These words all started with different vowel sounds

that were then affected differently by the vowel shift.

The “o-u” spelling they all adopted was a haphazardly applied French influence.

So, eventually they wound up with still distinct vowel sounds,

but similar spellings that don’t really make much sense.

All this means English can be a difficult language

for non-native speakers to learn.

And it reveals the many ways history, in all its messiness,

acted upon English, making it especially tough.