English WTF – part 1 (OUGH)
I admire anyone who can speak more than one language. And I admire anyone who learns English as second (or third) language, because, frankly English is a mess.
We have elements of Danish, Norman French, Celtic, Germanic, Latin, and a whole host of other influences. Not to mention the Great Vowel Shift (see article)…and the wonky spelling scribes gave to things….
Many people struggle with spelling, and let’s face it English makes no sense. We like to take a set of letters, then make them sound, well, however we damn well like…
Ah yes, spelling….you have to chuckle because… English takes spelling vs pronunciation and beats it until it gives up and hides in the corner.
Let’s start with a fun combination of letters OUGH.
THOUGHT – an idea or opinion produced by thinking, or occurring suddenly in the mind:
sounds like – taut, (or taught- and that’s a whole load of confusion in itself), court, or caught… Simplistically ORT.
Example: I thought it was going to rain.
The thought went through my head
OUGHT – used to indicate correctness or action
Sounds like taut, taught, court, caught etc
Example: I ought to take my umbrella.
She ought to have known better
THROUGH – movement from one side to the other, or following an action to completion.
Sounds like threw (obviously – English, some of the letters are the same…), you, chew, grey, hew, Hugh, drew.
Example: Hugh followed through the plan to its completion
DOUGH – a mixture of flour and water used to make bread or cake.
Sounds like sow (as in to sow crops, not sow a female pig – because English). Or crow, or doe, or throw…
Example: I used the dough to make a cake.
ROUGH – having an uneven surface, incomplete, or an uncouth, unrefined person
Sounds like ruff, huff, gruff
Example: The draft proposal was very rough.
The woollen jumper was rough.
BOUGH – The branch of a tree
Sounds like bow (as in the archery weapon or ‘bow tie’, not bow as in taking a bow, or the front of a ship… because English…
Example: The bough of the tree would make a great longbow.
COUGH – the expelling of sudden air from the lungs (often due to illness)
Sounds like Coff, off, trough (as in a drinking trough), froth.
Example: I had a nasty cough and was awake all through the night.
BOROUGH – a town which is an administrative unit.
Sounds like burra, not burrow
Example: The London Borough of Hammersmith
DROUGHT – the long-term absence of rain in an area
Sounds like out, tout, rout
Example: The long summer brought a drought to many areas. There has been a drought in the desert for many years.
TOUGH – a strong substance or person, able to withstand outside influences.
Sounds like tuff, cuff.
Example: The last few years have been tough.
NOUGHT – nothing, zero.
Rhymes with court, caught, sort, sought (sigh…English)
Example: Nought but ashes remained.
SOUGHT– past participle of seek – to want, search etc
sounds like sort, taught, taut.
Example: The new fashion was much sought after.
FURLOUGH – temporary suspension of workers due to economic or social conditions.
sounds like fur -low.
Example: During the pandemic, many workers were placed on furlough.
BOUGHT – past participle of buy. To have acquired an item for money.
sounds like Bort, court, caught etc.
Example: I bought doughnuts at the bakery.
PLOUGH (UK spelling of plow) – a large farming implement used to till the earth.
A constellation.
Sounds like with cow, ow, plow, now
Example: The farmer ploughed her field.
The council sent out the snowplough.
ALTHOUGH – in spite of the fact, even though.
sounds like ‘all tho’
Example: Although the sun was shining the weather was cold.
DOUGHTY – Brave and persistent.
Sounds like ‘dowty’ (not doe-ty or duffty).
Example: The doughty old woman persevered despite her disability.
The doughty soldiers held the line.
ENOUGH – as much as is required
sounds like E-Nuff – tough, rough, huff
Example: Enough is enough. There was not enough money to go around.
SLOUGH – the shedding of dead skin, such as that on a snake, or the falling of earth into a hole.
Sounds like sluff, rough, tough…
Example: The snake sloughed its skin.
Incidentally there’s a town in England called Slough – pronounced /slaʊ/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slough
Because English WTF!
How many words English words have OUGH in them?
Words with OUGH in them…
