this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2024
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And why is the W silent anyways?

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[–] cybervseas@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago (4 children)

By the argument, is the w in "two" actually silent? What would it sounds like when pronounced? I think it would sound like "two" already does.

[–] cannedtuna@lemmy.world 24 points 3 days ago (2 children)

It would sound like “twu” as in “twu wuv”

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 6 points 3 days ago

Lol.

OK, Impressive Clergyman!

[–] weew@lemmy.ca 12 points 3 days ago

It sounds exactly like "to" which means the w is silent.

It is not pronounced at all like any of the other example words given.

[–] over_clox@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I don't necessarily think so. If the W was pronounced, I think it would sound something more like 'tawoo' or 'teewoo'

[–] Chozo@fedia.io 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I wonder if perhaps an older dialect used to pronounce the W. Lots of words have changed spelling or pronunciation over the years, so I'm curious if that might be the case with "two", too.

[–] lvxferre@mander.xyz 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I wonder if perhaps an older dialect used to pronounce the W.

That's correct, and it isn't even that old - based on the [o:]→[u:] change it should be from 1500 or so. And the modern Scots cognate ⟨twa⟩ /twɑ:/~/twɔ:/ still has it.