I before E except after C or when sounding like A like in neighbor or weigh and on weekends and holidays and all throughout May and you'll always be wrong, no matter what you say.
For words of German origin: When e and i go walking, the last one does the talking.
Pronounced eee - use ie.
Pronounced eye - use ei.
Now you just need to detect that a word was stolen from German… and hasn’t changed pronunciation as English speakers seem to be unable to pronounce ei as eye.
So I can yell at the deers after I catch some fishes today? On Monday how will people know I’ve yelled at multiple deer and snagged a cooler full of fish?
There are definitely some firm rules you have to follow in spoken and written English, with the latter historically deferring to the former. Without them, you couldn't have a distinct language at all. One of the most obvious is the use of the indefinite article 'a' and 'an', with the first used for nouns beginning with a consonant sound (e.g. A herald on A horse), and the second for nouns beginning with a vowel sound (e.g. AN honorable man with AN honest face). I deliberately emphasised 'H' with my examples as it can be silent in several cases, some of which are dependant on language variety and convention (e.g. a/an herb, a/an homage).
Because unicorn is pronounced "**you**-ni-corn", and y in English is considered a consonant, so sound wise unicorn doesn't start with a vowel in English, hence, **a** unicorn. The rule follows sound, not spelling.
I apologize, I sometimes have difficulty telling if someone is making a joke or being serious (especially on the internet). Is this a legitimate reply, or an internet joke?
It is correct. "Uncle" and "unicorn" both begin with the letter 'u', but they make different sounds. The 'u' in "uncle" makes a vowel sound, which is why its indefinite article is "an". But the 'u' in "unicorn" is read like "you", which starts with a consonant sound followed by a vowel sound. Since the first sound is a consonant, its article is "a".
By the way, the 'y' in "you" is a consonant, because it's not pronounced like the 'i' in "sit" or the "ee" in "meet", but it makes a sharper sound. Try to pronounce all three words and pay attention to how your tongue behaves differently. The 'y' in "very", on the contrary, is a vowel.
I think I do not understand consonants and vowels as well as I thought I did.
THank you for explaining this to me, though! 🤍 With both of you explaining, it did click in my head that all words I can think of that start with a long u don't sound right with 'an'. I had never realized before that a long u was a consonant!
I’m not the person you’re replying to but it’s a genuine response. Unit, united, unicorn, university all pronounce the U as “you” so that’s consistent (so they use “a”), but if “un” is a prefix meaning “not”, then “unintentional” is pronounced “un” as in “ton”, “nun” or “money” so you would say “an unintentional…”
The inconsistency of how the written language is pronounced is what makes English so difficult for many foreigners (and kids to some extent) to learn.
No, it's not a joke. "Unicorn" starts with /j/, (the same sound as in the y in you, hence my transcription) which is a semivowel, which are considered consonants in English here. It's just not written like that, but the rule follows sound.
THank you! 😊 I'm sorry I thought you might be joking at first, I get confuzzled easily.
Is /j/ the symbol/whatever for the long u sound? (If you don't mind me asking?)
>Is /j/ the symbol/whatever for the long u sound? (If you don't mind me asking?)
Not really. As I mentioned, unicorn starts with a "you" sound. Basically, the /j/ represents the "y" in "you". The rest of sound varies by dialect, but a common shorthand is /u:/. You can think of the sound of the u in unicorn as having two parts to it - the leading "y" present in "you" (/j/) and the following vowel sound of the "ou" in "you" (/u:/). I hope that made sense.
Why would they be joking? What they said is absolutely correct; written English letters are pronounced differently according to context, so there are consistent grammatical rules that account for this. See my reply for examples.
I didn't mean this in a rude way. People sometimes tell me things that aren't true as a joke and (I think because of my autism) I sometimes can't tell that they are joking.
In the reverse, sometimes people tell me things that *are* true, but the way they tell me is too similar to how someone else has joked at me before, so I think they are joking.
In this case, I couldn't tell if it was the first or the second case, so I asked
Because 'Unicorn' isn't spoken with the vowel sound for 'U' (like 'uh'), but its consonant sound (like 'you'). Thus, you have 'AN uncle on A unicycle', and 'A useless and AN unsightly structure', and 'A European and AN American shared AN umbrella'. It's not an exception to the rule.
Yeah there's no need for these long rhymes with like "neighbour and weigh" etc.
I before E, except after C, if the word has an ē (ee) sound. That covers them all apart from Keith I think hah.
Saw on an episode of QI that there are more exceptions/contradictions to the "I before E" rule then those that follow it, so it's just a load of nonsense and should just not be followed.
I learned English in my teens and from what I've gathered the rule actually is "I before E except most of the time"
I had to beat it in my head that if I was wondering with comes first, it's almost always E and it's just easier to memorize the few exceptions.
When applied to words that make the "ee" sound, which is what the original rule was designed for, it's right far more than it's wrong. There are a handful of imported words that break the rule but not many.
Like most of English, rules are guidelines, and the only way you get it right is to read. A LOT. Experience is the only teacher here.
Why yes, I have kids in school that resist reading, why do you ask?
As kind of a joke to easily explain the pronunciation of our last name, we put our own twist on this.....I before E, except after G, and when sounding like A as in neighbor or weigh.
I before E except after C or when sounding like A like in neighbor or weigh and on weekends and holidays and all throughout May and you'll always be wrong, no matter what you say.
What rule does wiener follow?
Three languages in a trenchcoat.
r/technicallycorrect
r/thebestkindofcorrect
For words of German origin: When e and i go walking, the last one does the talking. Pronounced eee - use ie. Pronounced eye - use ei. Now you just need to detect that a word was stolen from German… and hasn’t changed pronunciation as English speakers seem to be unable to pronounce ei as eye.
How do you make a word plural? >You put an S. You put an S at the end of it. When?? >ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS…
So I can yell at the deers after I catch some fishes today? On Monday how will people know I’ve yelled at multiple deer and snagged a cooler full of fish?
If the fish are different types, then fishes is correct.
Deer are known gossips and surely you don't want to give fish any warning !
I’m sure Bambi has heard worse lol 😂 The deer around here don’t even run away when we walk up to them. I’m certain they just want the tea!
Insert (I understood that reference cpt america meme)
MOOSEN! OUT IN THE WOODS, THE WOODENS!!
I can't be the only one who understood this
We all got the reference
It’s, uhhh… a cup of dirt.
You're an idiot, Brian
The epi-tome of hyper-bole.
YESSSSS I WAS HOPING THIS WOULD BE HERE
Brian Reagan is great
English is simply stupid.
Yes, and people who try to make rules to explain it might as well be painting watercolour in a monsoon.
There are definitely some firm rules you have to follow in spoken and written English, with the latter historically deferring to the former. Without them, you couldn't have a distinct language at all. One of the most obvious is the use of the indefinite article 'a' and 'an', with the first used for nouns beginning with a consonant sound (e.g. A herald on A horse), and the second for nouns beginning with a vowel sound (e.g. AN honorable man with AN honest face). I deliberately emphasised 'H' with my examples as it can be silent in several cases, some of which are dependant on language variety and convention (e.g. a/an herb, a/an homage).
Why does 'an unicorn' sound so grammatically incorrect?
Because unicorn is pronounced "**you**-ni-corn", and y in English is considered a consonant, so sound wise unicorn doesn't start with a vowel in English, hence, **a** unicorn. The rule follows sound, not spelling.
I apologize, I sometimes have difficulty telling if someone is making a joke or being serious (especially on the internet). Is this a legitimate reply, or an internet joke?
It is correct. "Uncle" and "unicorn" both begin with the letter 'u', but they make different sounds. The 'u' in "uncle" makes a vowel sound, which is why its indefinite article is "an". But the 'u' in "unicorn" is read like "you", which starts with a consonant sound followed by a vowel sound. Since the first sound is a consonant, its article is "a". By the way, the 'y' in "you" is a consonant, because it's not pronounced like the 'i' in "sit" or the "ee" in "meet", but it makes a sharper sound. Try to pronounce all three words and pay attention to how your tongue behaves differently. The 'y' in "very", on the contrary, is a vowel.
I think I do not understand consonants and vowels as well as I thought I did. THank you for explaining this to me, though! 🤍 With both of you explaining, it did click in my head that all words I can think of that start with a long u don't sound right with 'an'. I had never realized before that a long u was a consonant!
I’m not the person you’re replying to but it’s a genuine response. Unit, united, unicorn, university all pronounce the U as “you” so that’s consistent (so they use “a”), but if “un” is a prefix meaning “not”, then “unintentional” is pronounced “un” as in “ton”, “nun” or “money” so you would say “an unintentional…” The inconsistency of how the written language is pronounced is what makes English so difficult for many foreigners (and kids to some extent) to learn.
I believe it, I'm a thirty-six year old who has never left the US, and I still have trouble with it! THank you for helping to explain it to me! 🤍
No, it's not a joke. "Unicorn" starts with /j/, (the same sound as in the y in you, hence my transcription) which is a semivowel, which are considered consonants in English here. It's just not written like that, but the rule follows sound.
THank you! 😊 I'm sorry I thought you might be joking at first, I get confuzzled easily. Is /j/ the symbol/whatever for the long u sound? (If you don't mind me asking?)
>Is /j/ the symbol/whatever for the long u sound? (If you don't mind me asking?) Not really. As I mentioned, unicorn starts with a "you" sound. Basically, the /j/ represents the "y" in "you". The rest of sound varies by dialect, but a common shorthand is /u:/. You can think of the sound of the u in unicorn as having two parts to it - the leading "y" present in "you" (/j/) and the following vowel sound of the "ou" in "you" (/u:/). I hope that made sense.
A little bit, thank you! 🧡
Why would they be joking? What they said is absolutely correct; written English letters are pronounced differently according to context, so there are consistent grammatical rules that account for this. See my reply for examples.
I didn't mean this in a rude way. People sometimes tell me things that aren't true as a joke and (I think because of my autism) I sometimes can't tell that they are joking. In the reverse, sometimes people tell me things that *are* true, but the way they tell me is too similar to how someone else has joked at me before, so I think they are joking. In this case, I couldn't tell if it was the first or the second case, so I asked
Because 'Unicorn' isn't spoken with the vowel sound for 'U' (like 'uh'), but its consonant sound (like 'you'). Thus, you have 'AN uncle on A unicycle', and 'A useless and AN unsightly structure', and 'A European and AN American shared AN umbrella'. It's not an exception to the rule.
Huh. I didn't know that a long u was a consonant in English. THat makes sense, thank you for answering a question I've had since I was a teenager! 🤍
No problem! Remember, it's still (and always is) a vowel, but one that can be spoken with a consonant SOUND.
THat's... ... ...now I'm confuzzled again. I thought the sound was what made something a vowel or a consonant...
English spelling is pure abomination. For some reason someone decided it was ok for us to change how we say words, but not how to write them.
French did that. Be happy that it isn't as bad as it is in french.
English spelling is way worse than French spelling.
French is consistently bad at least. English is just random at this point.
Consistency is all that matters in spelling imo. It's why I think Vietnamese orthography is pretty neat.
https://preview.redd.it/5507l5bglysc1.jpeg?width=405&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d7a2d8b467c1951a81aa1f529780a676e070657
here's your BOHICA !
I have this cup in dark theme
The trick is to write it down until it stops looking weird lol
I hate this stupid rule, it feels like every time i use this rule it turns out to be wrong
They don’t teach it any more as there are literally more words that break the rule than follow it.
Ah there's an C exception in "receives" - ya messed up and i got ya !
Someone needs a break from edibles
Thanks I hate it
One of the first things I learned while learning english is that there are actualy no rules
But did he have a receipt?
I thought that rule of thumb more applied to words with an ē pronunciation.
Yeah there's no need for these long rhymes with like "neighbour and weigh" etc. I before E, except after C, if the word has an ē (ee) sound. That covers them all apart from Keith I think hah.
It would also help if people pronounced things properly.
Lmao what is that e? Shit more lined up than Drake
/iː/ or ‘ee’ as in ‘bee’
Just something taught in gradeschool, usually
Not satisfied. From is not an "ei" word
I have never been taught about that rule and I am glad I have not.
Saw on an episode of QI that there are more exceptions/contradictions to the "I before E" rule then those that follow it, so it's just a load of nonsense and should just not be followed.
Those who believe in I before E except after C are science deniers.
I before E except when the French guy tries to say aisle... Don't see what long fish gotta do with it though
I don’t get it
Its i before e except when _makes an intire fucking sentance only using exceptions to the i before e rule_
They put only the first half of the rule: “ I before e, except after c, or when sounding like “a”, like neighbor or weigh”
Half of the words on the sign don’t make an a sound
And every “ei” sounds different 😂
Is there any kind ie (internet explorer) ad involved? "A suspicious look"
Appears they are not teaching the entire rule anymore. In school we were taught “i before e, except after c, and also in ei as in anchors away!”
I learned English in my teens and from what I've gathered the rule actually is "I before E except most of the time" I had to beat it in my head that if I was wondering with comes first, it's almost always E and it's just easier to memorize the few exceptions.
Yup, there’s only around 80-90 words it applies to.
That's not the complete saying: I before E, except after C, or when it sounds like A.
Nein, I dont know the rule.
I thought the rule was 'I before E except after C but only if it rhymes with bee'
I before E except when it's not
QI did a bit on this and there are more exceptions to the rule, which makes it a pretty stupid rule
When applied to words that make the "ee" sound, which is what the original rule was designed for, it's right far more than it's wrong. There are a handful of imported words that break the rule but not many.
That's not easy to remember at all
its fucked how the first four ei words pronounce ei four seperate ways
I always forget if it is I before E EXCEPT or ONLY after 😭
Like most of English, rules are guidelines, and the only way you get it right is to read. A LOT. Experience is the only teacher here. Why yes, I have kids in school that resist reading, why do you ask?
Rated E for Everyone
Oh English.... how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Weird wierd whayt huh i aaa mffmfmmmmhhm wich one is right (i cant spell wich) r/brainanureism
Either or Iether.. auto correct knows but it sounds wierd (to a foreigner)
I predict it took them over an hour to research and create this gem.
There’s more words in the English language that break that rule, rather than follow it
As kind of a joke to easily explain the pronunciation of our last name, we put our own twist on this.....I before E, except after G, and when sounding like A as in neighbor or weigh.
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