step076.htm/21DEC2001

Step 76‑77: gh, ght

Our beautiful language is made up of words from many other languages. When the Vikings came over, their language contained a sound in the back of the throat, a guttural that the Anglo‑Saxons could not pronounce, so they got round it either by leaving out the gh (as in light) or by putting in another sound, and they did not even keep to one sound! In ‑ght words (and others) the g..h.. has Gone Home:

light t______ Note: sigh

S_______ fl_____ high

f_____ fr_____ eight, weight, weigh

br____ m_____ neigh, neighbour, sleigh

n_____ r______ deign, reign

ã Copyright 2000 by Elliot Right Way Books where copied or adapted from “c-a-t=CAT”. Other material ã copyright 2001 by Mona McNee