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is there a law of linguistics that says words change to what is easier to pronounce? (Original Post) raccoon Jul 2021 OP
Yeah, sort of... JackintheGreen Jul 2021 #1
The original pronunciation 'ka-nig-it' was way too hard. zuul Jul 2021 #4
Interesting observation sorcrow Jul 2021 #2
Lexicon valley is a good podcast for linguistic discussion viva la Jul 2021 #3
Lexicon valley new link viva la Jul 2021 #5
Metathesis. LastDemocratInSC Jul 2021 #6
An example that's happening now -- enough Jul 2021 #7
Going to -- gonna n/t JackintheGreen Jul 2021 #8
Ask Worchester sauce...N/T flotsam Jul 2021 #9

JackintheGreen

(2,036 posts)
1. Yeah, sort of...
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 07:56 AM
Jul 2021

I’m no expert, but there are a couple of ways languages tend to change in this way. The first is to reduce acoustical interference, in other words to take out sounds that seem (unconsciously) not to do much to the word. Think about how we say the word “talk” versus how we spell it. Verbally we mostly drop the ‘l’ but don’t lose a any ability to understand. The ‘l’ isn’t necessary to differentiate different words in most instances.

The second is the tendency to simplify anything that can be simplified (a kind of speaking laziness) known as the principle of least articulation effort. Think “knight”, which even as recently as Middle High German pronounced all the letters.

But neither holds always true. Sometimes languages just change for no apparent (or discernible reason), and not always to become easier to say. And languages also change because of outside influences - for example two language groups being in close contact for a long time (English and Danish in the Danelaw sections of England or English and French post 1066). These other two principles sometimes have the opposite effect (like English’s ridiculously inconsistent pronunciation rules around ‘ough’).

sorcrow

(524 posts)
2. Interesting observation
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 08:04 AM
Jul 2021

I listen to a lot of audio books. It hurts my ears when the reader says boat...swain, or fore...castle, or gun...wale. Nautical argot seems seems especially rife with these sort of simplifications or maybe it's my choice of literature. My personal favorite is "stunsul" for studding sail.

Best regards,
Sorghum Crow

viva la

(3,820 posts)
3. Lexicon valley is a good podcast for linguistic discussion
Tue Jul 20, 2021, 08:08 AM
Jul 2021
https://slate.com/podcasts/lexicon-valley

He talks about the mouth.... how sounds that are hard to pronounce move forward in the mouth over the centuries. Pronunciation gets sloppier!
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