Silent Letters At End of Root
The rule is expressed in spelling of the verbs, but is actually related to pronunciation. So if the spelled root ends in a silent letter, this letter should be ignored in applying the rule. This includes also the apostrophe ⟨'⟩ occurring in some verb spellings.
For example:
| Infinitive | Inf. pronunc. | Verb root | Past simple | Past simple pronunc. | Past participle | Past ptc. pronunc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| timen (to time) | /ˈtɑimə(n)/ | time | ik timede | /ˈtɑimdə/ | getimed | /ɣəˈtɑimt/ |
| racen (to race) | /ˈreːsə(n)/ | race | ik racete | /ˈreːstə/ | geracet | /ɣəˈreːst/ |
| deleten (to delete) | /diˈliːtə(n)/ | delete | ik deletete | /diˈliːtə/ | gedeletet | /ɣədiˈliːt/ |
| sms'en (to send a text message) | /ɛsɛmˈɛsə(n)/ | sms | ik sms'te | /ɛsɛmˈɛstə/ | ge-sms't | /ɣə(ʔ)ɛsɛmˈɛst/ |
| gsm'en (to phone using a mobile phone) | /ɣeːɛsˈɛmə(n)/ | gsm | ik gsm'de | /ɣeːɛsˈɛmdə/ | ge-gsm'd | /ɣəɣeːɛsˈɛmt/ |
| petanquen (to play pétanque) | /peːˈtɑŋkə(n)/ | petanque | ik petanquete | /peːˈtɑŋktə/ | gepetanquet | /ɣəpeːˈtɑŋkt/ |
Read more about this topic: 't Kofschip
Famous quotes containing the words silent, letters and/or root:
“Cruel with guilt, and daring with despair,
The midnight murderer bursts the faithless bar;
Invades the sacred hour of silent rest
And leaves, unseen, a dagger in your breast.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“How dare I read Washington’s campaigns, when I have not answered the letters of my own correspondents? Is not that a just objection to much of our reading? It is a pusillanimous desertion of our work to gaze after our neighbours. It is peeping.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The lack of money is the root of all evil.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)