Consonants:
PIPE: p, pp
BOB: b, bb
TUT: t, tt
DEED: d, dd
KICK: k, -ck, c(A), cc(A)
KICK+WIN: qu, *cqu, also compositionally
GIG: g(A), gg(A), gu(I), gi- usually, *g(I) sometimes
THOTH: th
FIFE: f, ff
VALVE: v, vv
SIS: s, ss, c(I), *sc(I), ps-
ZOOS: z, zz, -s plural and possessive, x initial, *s
SHUSH: sh, occasional unstressed: s(u), ss(u), se(V), sse(V), si(V), ssi(V)
ZHIVAGO: g(I) sometimes, s(u) unstressed, si(V) unstressed
CHURCH: ch, tch, occasional unstressed: t(u)
JUDGE: j, dg(I), *g(I) usually, *d(I) sometimes
YOYO: y(V)
HAHA: h
WHITE: wh
MIME: m, mm
NUN: n, nn, *gn-
siNG: -ng, ng(C)
siNG+GIG: ng(A)
siNG+JUDGE: ng(I)
siNG+KICK: nk
LOLL: l, ll
ROAR: r, rr, *wr-
KICK+SIS: x, cc(I), also compositionally
Vowels:
KIT: i short, y short
DRESS: e short
TRAP/BATH: a short
TRAP+/r/: -ar(V)
LOT/CLOTH: o short
STRUT: u short
FOOT: oo short
NURSE: -er, erC, -ir, irC, -ur, -urC, -urr, -yr, -yr(C)
FLEECE: e long, ea, ee, -ie-
FACE: a long, ai, ay, ei, ey, ae* sometimes, *aigh, *eigh
PALM/BATH: aa, *a, *-ah
THOUGHT: au, aw
GOAT: o long, oa, oe, *-eau
GOOSE (with or without /j/): eu, ew, u long, ue, ui
GOOSE (without /j/): oo long,
PRICE: i long, -ie, y long, -ye
PRICE+/r/: ir(V), yr(V), *iar, *ier, *ior
CHOICE: oi, oy
MOUTH: ou, ow, *ough
MOUTH+/r/: our, owr, ower
NEAR: ear, eer, er(V), ier, er(V), yr(V)
SQUARE: air, ayr, eir, eir, ar(V), er(V), err, *aer
START: -ar, ar(C)
NORTH: -or, or(C),
FORCE: -oar, *-our sometimes, ourC
CURE (with or without /j/): eur, ewr, ewer, uer, ur(V)
CURE (without /j/), oor
Reduced vowels:
lettER; Vr, -our, -re, -ure
commA: V, -ou(s)
happY: -ie, -y, *-ey
Notes:
Notations: * means “unproductive spelling”;
parenthesized letters give context;
C, V, I, A mean “any consonant letter”, “any vowel letter”,
“i, y, or e”, and “a, o, or u” respectively.
parenthesized letters give context;
C, V, I, A mean “any consonant letter”, “any vowel letter”,
“i, y, or e”, and “a, o, or u” respectively.
Silent consonants: -(e)t in French borrowings sometimes,
*gh, h sometimes, t in unstressed -stle, -sten.
*gh, h sometimes, t in unstressed -stle, -sten.
Long vs. short single vowels: a vowel in the last syllable is long
if there is a silent -e; a following double consonant marks a short vowel.
most other vowels are short but many are long.
if there is a silent -e; a following double consonant marks a short vowel.
most other vowels are short but many are long.
Minimal respelling: Words are respelled only if their
pronunciation is not valid by the rules,
but if a word is respelled, more than one
change may be made, as dubble for double.
Words are not respelled merely to make them
fit more common patterns or to disambiguate homonyms.
The creation of new homonyms is avoided.
pronunciation is not valid by the rules,
but if a word is respelled, more than one
change may be made, as dubble for double.
Words are not respelled merely to make them
fit more common patterns or to disambiguate homonyms.
The creation of new homonyms is avoided.
Unmarked distinctions: /ks/ vs. /gz/, commA vs. chickEn,
/θ/ vs. /ð/, /j/ vs. no /j/ before GOOSE or CURE
(except when spelled oo),
vowel digraphs vs. separate syllables
(create does not rhyme with street, nor mishap with bishop)
/θ/ vs. /ð/, /j/ vs. no /j/ before GOOSE or CURE
(except when spelled oo),
vowel digraphs vs. separate syllables
(create does not rhyme with street, nor mishap with bishop)