Have you ever wondered why February has that random, silent first r? Well, February, like the names of most months, has Latin roots. It descended from Februarius, a month in the ancient Roman calendar. The name actually comes from the festival of februum, a purification ritual celebrated during the month.
Why do people not pronounce the r in February?
Why People Drop the “R” in February. The loss of the first “r” in the pronunciation of February is (in part) the result of a process called dissimilation (or haplology), where one of two similar sounds in a word is sometimes changed or dropped to avoid the repetition of that sound.
Why is there an N in Wednesday?
Wodan and Mercury, although quite different, were both linked to the day of the week we know as Wednesday. As Wōdnesdæg moved from Old English to Middle English, its spelling changed. It became “Wednesdei” and the “d” remained, even as the word morphed into “Wednesday.”
Is it spelled February or Febuary?
February
Spelling of February: February is spelled F-e-b-r-u-a-r-y. The “f” should always be capitalized because it is the name of a month.
Is February one of the most misspelled words?
Despite the fact that the first r is silent when it’s pronounced aloud, the correct spelling is February (not Febuary).
Is the R in Library silent?
Like the word February, there is a tendency for some speakers to leave out the r sound after the b in library, resulting in libary as the pronunciation. The r is not silent, though, so the standard pronunciation calls for leaving the br sound in place.
Why is there ad in fridge but not in refrigerator?
As a general rule, a G at the end of a word sounds like the G in flag and hog. Anywhere else in a word, it can sound like either gesture or forget. The G in refrigerator follows this rule. If we shortened refrigerator to fridge we’re left with F-R-I-G.
Why is it spelled Colonel?
“Colonel” came to English from the mid-16th-century French word coronelle, meaning commander of a regiment, or column, of soldiers. By the mid-17th century, the spelling and French pronunciation had changed to colonnel. The English spelling also changed, and the pronunciation was shortened to two syllables.
How do u spell ANOF?
Correct pronunciation for the word “ANOF” is [ˈanɒf], [ˈanɒf], [ˈa_n_ɒ_f].
How do you spell 14?
14 (fourteen) is a natural number following 13 and succeeded by 15. In relation to the word “four” (4), 14 is spelled “fourteen”.
Why is February so short?
Because Romans believed even numbers to be unlucky, each month had an odd number of days, which alternated between 29 and 31. But, in order to reach 355 days, one month had to be an even number. February was chosen to be the unlucky month with 28 days.
Who do you spell December?
“December – correct spelling.” Grammar.com.
How do you spell Family Family?
Correct pronunciation for the word “Family” is [fˈamɪli], [fˈamɪli], [f_ˈa_m_ɪ_l_i].
How do you say November in American English?
3 syllables: “noh” + “VEM” + “buh”
What is the most mispronounced word in English?
Here are 20 of the most commonly mispronounced words in English, and how to say them right.
- 1 Pronunciation. Ironically, many people mispronounce this word!
- 2 Cupboard.
- 3 Epitome.
- 4 Salmon/almond.
- 5 Library/February.
- 6 Definitely.
- 7 Ask.
- 8 Wednesday.
Is the P silent in empty?
It is not silent, but it is not emphasized because it is difficult to pronounce p before t. But it is definitely not silent. Just don’t emphasize it so that you add a syllable and wind up saying “Em-puh-tee.”
Do you pronounce the C in Arctic?
The first “c” in the word arctic is not silent. The word is pronounced ahrk-tik, not ahrt-tik.
Is Fridgerator a word?
Definitions for Fridgerator. Frid·ger·a·tor.
What is fridge short for?
Fridge, pronounced /FRIJ/, is the shortened form of refrigerator that started appearing in print in the early 20th century. The word was likely spoken long before it appeared in writing.
What do the British call refrigerators?
Fridge
Traffic Words, Other Common Words in the US
| American English word | British English equivalent |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Fridge |
| Sneakers | Tennis Shoe / Sports Shoe |
| Tortilla | |
| Bubbler | Drinker Water Fountain |
Why is GIF pronounced JIF?
June 1987:
Steve Wilhite releases the Graphics Interchange Format, or GIF, while working for Compuserve. He called it a GIF with a soft g. “Choosy developers,“ he reportedly said, “choose JIF.” This was of course a play on the peanut butter brand Jif’s line “choosy mothers choose Jif.”
