Why no "i" in "eye"?
- Thread starter bigdaddy
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How would you spell it with an 'i'? Just I? Can eye have some of what you're smoking?
It's English. Welcome to the insanity my friend. 
I've long ago given up on trying to figure out the logic of the English language.
For example, the plural of mouse is mice and the plural of louse is lice. But the plural of spouse isn't spice, and the plural of house isn't hice. And the past tense of preach isn't praught, even though the past tense of teach is taught.
It's a wonder anyone can learn to speak the language at all.
For example, the plural of mouse is mice and the plural of louse is lice. But the plural of spouse isn't spice, and the plural of house isn't hice. And the past tense of preach isn't praught, even though the past tense of teach is taught.
It's a wonder anyone can learn to speak the language at all.
Yeah, English is weird.
By the way, that episode of Futurama was hilarious.
By the way, that episode of Futurama was hilarious.
This looks like a job for an English Major!
It's because it was originally pronounced "ee-ye" in Middle English, with a real "y" sound like in "yes". The vowels shifted over the centuries but not the spelling.
Furthermore, spouse is inherited from the romance languages (i.e. esposo/esposa in Spanish) while mouse and louse are Old English (cognates are found in German such as "maus") and so obey the older Germanic grammar rules where plurality caused a stem change.
As for house, I'm not entirely sure why it wasn't rolled into the Germanic grammar conventions but it does have variant pronunciations in Middle English (i.e. "hoose" or "haas"). It may have been grandfathered to follow romantic plural because "hice" died out and sounded silly to contemporary speakers.
Simple :P
It's because it was originally pronounced "ee-ye" in Middle English, with a real "y" sound like in "yes". The vowels shifted over the centuries but not the spelling.
Furthermore, spouse is inherited from the romance languages (i.e. esposo/esposa in Spanish) while mouse and louse are Old English (cognates are found in German such as "maus") and so obey the older Germanic grammar rules where plurality caused a stem change.
As for house, I'm not entirely sure why it wasn't rolled into the Germanic grammar conventions but it does have variant pronunciations in Middle English (i.e. "hoose" or "haas"). It may have been grandfathered to follow romantic plural because "hice" died out and sounded silly to contemporary speakers.
Simple :P
^^ Very interesting info. Now can you explain why it's one bra and a pair of panties? 
My harem and I disagree.
^^ Very interesting info. Now can you explain why it's one bra and a pair of panties?
Actually I can answer that one. Pairs of trousers and pairs of underwear evolved from hose, which originally came in a pair (sort of like modern stockings, though not really). Various bits of hose evolved over time into what we now call trousers/pants and underwear, which is why they're still called pairs.
Brassieres evolved from corsets (and older historical analogues), which of course always came as single items.
And now you know...
iEye
...don't sue me steve jobs
...don't sue me steve jobs
Where's the choice for Illuminati conspiracy?
Aye dew knot no.
Trust Holdfast to know the answer to a clothing question.^^ Very interesting info. Now can you explain why it's one bra and a pair of panties?
Actually I can answer that one. Pairs of trousers and pairs of underwear evolved from hose, which originally came in a pair (sort of like modern stockings, though not really). Various bits of hose evolved over time into what we now call trousers/pants and underwear, which is why they're still called pairs.
Brassieres evolved from corsets (and older historical analogues), which of course always came as single items.
And now you know...
That's interesting, too, though-- I've been perplexing people with that question for a while, and now I can answer it for them. 
^^ Very interesting info. Now can you explain why it's one bra and a pair of panties?
Actually I can answer that one. Pairs of trousers and pairs of underwear evolved from hose, which originally came in a pair (sort of like modern stockings, though not really). Various bits of hose evolved over time into what we now call trousers/pants and underwear, which is why they're still called pairs.
Brassieres evolved from corsets (and older historical analogues), which of course always came as single items.
And now you know...
It's like I after E except after C and in about 100 other words. Or that C can't make up it's mind if it wants to sound like a C or an S. My mom was calling chamomile, cam-o-mile and went "There is an e" and I went "There is also an h that we ignore".
I always hated English in school.
Why is it "attorneys general" instead of attorney generals?
One of my friends upgraded to iEyes.
Unfortunately, one day she made eye-contact with a bloke on the train, and her iEyes mindwiped everything she'd ever seen in her life and refilled her brain with a random selection of his memories.
True story
Because in this case, "general" is serving as an adjective to describe the type of attorney. Attorney is the noun, so it gets pluralized.
Same thing with sisters-in-law, etc.
Because they're not generals, they're attorneys. “General” in this instance is an adjective that happens to follow rather than precede the noun it modifies.I always hated English in school.
Why is it “attorneys general” instead of attorney generals?
Similar plural constructions are mothers-in-law, passersby, and courts-martial.
EDIT: Or, what the guy before me said.
Excuse me, what the LADY before me said.
However, “spoonsful” is wrong. Go figure.
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