Two words on completely different paths, probably headed in completely different directions, but then they smashed together and because they sound similar, one could end up inheriting the evolution of the other.
Comment on The Pack
itsnicodegallo@lemm.ee 6 months ago
Actuallyyy…
Goose comes from Old English, where they pluralized [go:s] (think “goes” with a soft S) by adding [iz] (like “ease”).
When saying [go:siz], it was kinda hard for the mouth to switch the vowels from the [o] to the [i] quickly, so to save themselves the trouble, they’d change the first vowel to make it a little more similar to the second, so [go:siz] became [ge:siz].
Then, that was too long, so they dropped the [z]. [ge:si] (think “guessy” but the “e” lasts a bit longer than usual).
Then, that was too long, so they dropped the [i]. [ge:s] (“guess” with that same drawn out “e”).
📯It’s the Great Vowel Shift!📯 Now, [go:s] and [ge:s] become [gu:s] and [gi:s]. Almost there!
The vowels become a tad short over time, and now, you have [gus] and [gis] which are written “goose” and “geese”.
But “MOOSE”? That’s Algonquin. It has nothing to do with all that noise. “But they sound the same and are written the same?!” So? Haven’t you heard? English orthography is a dumpster fire. Nobody knows what they’re doing. Not even the words.
Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 6 months ago
fossilesque@mander.xyz 6 months ago
What’s this Great Shift of Vowels?
gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 months ago
Big change in how English speakers pronounced long vowel sounds
orangeboats@lemmy.world 6 months ago
The reason why English sounds so different from its relatives like Dutch and German.