Why Does Doubt Have a B? The Twisted Logic of English Spelling

July 30
44 mins

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Episode Description

Why does doubt have a B? Why is colonel pronounced “kernel?” And how can rough, through, though, and bough all ignore the same letters in completely different ways?

This week, Shane and Duncan trace the remarkable history of English spelling through conquests, sound shifts, scholarly meddling, and centuries of happy accidents. 

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