Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Why English has silent letters. Dayjamas.

Dec 26, 2023

Learn about the prevalence of silent letters in English spelling and the fascinating stories behind them. Explore the historical use of suffixes and the challenges of spelling reforms. Discover the evolution of English pronunciations and a language-learning app. Dive into the borrowed origins and spelling variations of the word 'pajamas'.

19:52

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Quick takeaways

Silent letters in the English language have historical origins and contribute to the fascinating history of English spelling.

The word pajamas originated in Urdu and Persian, and its spelling differs between British English and American English.

Deep dives

Exploring Silent Letters in English Spelling

The English spelling system is notorious for its silent letters, with more than half of the letters in the alphabet being silent in some words. This is due to historical reasons, including mismatched spellings from the Middle English period and changing phonotactic rules. One prominent example is the silent E at the end of words, which originated in Middle English to indicate a long vowel sound. Other silent consonant letters, such as K in words like knife, WR in words like wrong, and GN in words like gnaw, have disappeared over time. Greek borrowings and French influences have also contributed to silent letters. Despite reform efforts, silent letters persist and are part of the fascinating history of English spelling.

Introduction

4min

The Stories and Significance of Silent Letters in English

2min

The Historical Use of Suffixes and Silent Letters in English

10min

English Pronunciations, Language-Learning App, and 'Day Jamas'

5min

The Origin and Spelling Variations of 'Pajamas'

4min

960. Some English letters are seen but not heard. In fact, more than half the letters in our alphabet are sometimes silent. We look at the many reasons we have these silent letters that make spelling such a challenge, but that also tell fascinating stories about the history of our language. Plus, we look at the origin of the word "pajamas/pyjamas" and why it has two spellings.

| Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/silent-letters/transcript

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