why spelling la photo, why not la foto?
why spelling la France, why not la Phrance?
why spelling la France, why not la Phrance?
French spelling question in f vs ph
French, like English, stick (as far as possible) to etymological spellings (téléphone / telephone etc.).
This makes those languages a little bit trickier than others in their written form. But the fact that English and French remain the most influential languages is probably not unrelated to that specific feature.
Their are however some conflicting cases with Greek words passed to French and English through Latin and Italian:
— Eng.:
'phantom', 'phantasm', 'phantasmagory' ? 'fantasy', 'fantastic'.
— Fr. choose to spell then all with a /f/, for simplicity's sake:
'fantôme', 'fantasme', 'fantasmagorie', 'fantaisie', 'fantastique'
This makes those languages a little bit trickier than others in their written form. But the fact that English and French remain the most influential languages is probably not unrelated to that specific feature.
Their are however some conflicting cases with Greek words passed to French and English through Latin and Italian:
— Eng.:
'phantom', 'phantasm', 'phantasmagory' ? 'fantasy', 'fantastic'.
— Fr. choose to spell then all with a /f/, for simplicity's sake:
'fantôme', 'fantasme', 'fantasmagorie', 'fantaisie', 'fantastique'
<<But the fact that English and French remain the most influential languages is probably not unrelated to that specific feature.>>
Interesting theory. So, if Spanish wanted to become even more influential, they should consider adopting more quaint spelings:
- que -> caigh
- ir -> eare
- lo -> lough
- fe -> phaigh
- si -> seehe
Interesting theory. So, if Spanish wanted to become even more influential, they should consider adopting more quaint spelings:
- que -> caigh
- ir -> eare
- lo -> lough
- fe -> phaigh
- si -> seehe
"French, like English, stick (as far as possible) to etymological spellings"
As long as English doesn't write 'nite' and 'rite' instead of 'night' and 'right', English speakers are able to identify those words as cognates to German/Dutch 'nacht' and 'recht'.
Etymological spelling is a language's genetic memory.
As long as English doesn't write 'nite' and 'rite' instead of 'night' and 'right', English speakers are able to identify those words as cognates to German/Dutch 'nacht' and 'recht'.
Etymological spelling is a language's genetic memory.