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falseWhite@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

• grissino@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  As you should. Unless you pronounce the word helicopter as “helico’ter” too, as they share the same root word; pteron.

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  • KSPAtlas@sopuli.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The reason why the p in “pterodactyl” is silent is because the consonant cluster /pt/ isn’t allowed as the initial part of a syllable

    When words are borrowed into English but have consonant clusters like this, English simplifies the cluster (in this case, /pt/ becomes /t/)

    However, if the consonant cluster is preceded by a vowel, it splits up and the first consonant becomes the coda (final part) of the preceding syllable

    So while it might have been he-li-co-pter in Greek, it became he-li-cop-ter in English

    This also explains the silent g in “phlegm” and why it’s pronounced in “phlegmatic”

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    • falseWhite@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      English sucks. I prefer my version where I pronounce the P

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      • KSPAtlas@sopuli.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        That’s perfectly fine, as long as others understand you the exact was you pronounce it doesn’t matter

        I was just saying what tends to happen, not what always happens

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    • AbsolutelyClawless@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      TIL the g in phlegm is silent.

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      • OpenStars@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Darge tgo bge differgent?

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    • grissino@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Funny that pt isn’t allowed but ph is allowed. Or maybe we should start to say “hlematic” 😜

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      • KSPAtlas@sopuli.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        That’s because “ph” is a combination of two letters to make a single sound

        Using the IPA, an alphabet designed for writing down sounds of words, where one sound tends to correspond to one letter, “phlegm” is /ˈflɛm/ and “phlegmatic” is /fleɡˈma.tɪk/

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