Expertlatin
Therefore when the Romans transliterated phi into Latin, when borrowing words from Greek, it was represented as ph. Meanwhile, over hundreds of years, the original sound of phi in Greek changed, and by the Middle Ages, it had shifted to an F sound.
- When did ph become an F sound?
- Why does ph make an F sound in English?
- Is ph always pronounced as F?
- Why is phone spelled with a ph instead of an F?
- Why is GH pronounced like F?
- When did the F become an S in English?
- What is the rule for using ph instead of F?
- Why is Stephen spelled with a ph?
- Why does ph and GH make an F sound?
- Does GH always make F sound?
- What is the F spelling rule?
- Can ph sound like V?
- What is the F sound rule?
When did ph become an F sound?
Greek Phi was once pronounced as a hard "P" in Ancient Greek. So, Latin inscriptions wrote it as "PH" to show that it's a P sound, but with more air with H. As Greek changed, so did the Greek based English words. In Modern Greek, Phi is pronounced as "F", and no longer like "PH"/a hard P.
Why does ph make an F sound in English?
Show activity on this post. "Ph" is most commonly used in words that come from Greek, like "philosophy". The Greek letter that makes the "F" sound is "phi", written like φ. As for "Gh", most of the words containing it come from German and old English.
Is ph always pronounced as F?
Most of the time, PH is pronounced like an F , not as two separate sounds. However, there are exceptions to this rule. You'll also find out how PH became part of the English language. If you want to sound more like a native speaker, get your pronunciation right.
Why is phone spelled with a ph instead of an F?
It's because of the influence of Greek. Phone has a Greek origin, and it has the Greek letter φ (phi). In Classical Greek this was pronounced as an aspirated [pʰ], which the Latins wrote as ph when they borrowed the words from Greek.
Why is GH pronounced like F?
Early scribes had to adapt the Roman alphabet to English, and since Latin didn't have the /x/ sound, they used "h" or a non-Roman character called a yogh (ȝ). Eventually, during the Middle English period, they settled on "gh." By that time the pronunciation was already changing.
When did the F become an S in English?
Long 's' fell out of use in Roman and italic typography well before the middle of the 19th century; in French the change occurred from about 1780 onwards, in English in the decades before and after 1800, and in the United States around 1820.
What is the rule for using ph instead of F?
If the word is of Greek origin, spell it with “ph” where the “f” would normally go. Examples: “phone,” “photo,” “phosphorescent,” and so on. If the word is not of Greek origin, spell it with an “f.” Examples: “font,” “food,” “fool,” and so on.
Why is Stephen spelled with a ph?
Stephen represents the Greek version of the name (Stephanos), with the ph representing the letter phi, usually pronounced /f/ (as in “photo”). However, a voiceless consonant between two vowels is often voiced, which would make the sound /v/.
Why does ph and GH make an F sound?
"Ph" is most commonly used in words that come from Greek, like "philosophy". The Greek letter that makes the "F" sound is "phi", written like φ. As for "Gh", most of the words containing it come from German and old English.
Does GH always make F sound?
'Gh' can be pronounced /g/ (like 'goat'), /f/ (like 'fun') or it can be silent, but in that case it will affect the vowels that come before it. Unfortunately, many of these pronunciations simply have to be learned. However, there are a few basic rules that can help.
What is the F spelling rule?
When a one-syllable words ends in f, l, or s, double the final f, l, or s (for example, snif, fall, mess). We call this the floss spelling rule because the word floss follows this rule and includes the letters f, l, and s to help us remember the rule.
Can ph sound like V?
The example of original v being rendered by ph is unique. Phial and vial are etymological doublets, but then they are pronounced differently. The variation f ~ v in French words is extremely rare.
What is the F sound rule?
The letter F is a voiceless sound because the vocal cords do not vibrate. Instead, we use a puff of air to produce the sound. If you hold a piece of paper in front of your mouth when pronouncing a voiceless sound, the paper should move from the puff of air.
