Why do so many words in English begin with a silent “p” like psychiatrist or pterodactyl?
In: 1812
Because some rascal decided that English pronunciation had to make no sense, so letters like P and K at the start of words shouldn’t be pronounced anymore. Same for some instances of G.
I like to imagine a Gnat-ridden Gnome KniGht on campaiGn against Pterodactyls stabbing a Psychologist in the Knee with a Knife by desiGn because he Knew too much about a Knotty affair.
Because those aren’t actually English words, they are Greek (in the case of those two) or Latin.
Psychiatrist literally means “mind healer” (from Greek psykhe, ‘mind/soul’ + iatreia, ‘to heal/healing’). Similarly, pterodactylus is Latinized Greek, meaning “wing-fingers.”
Because those aren’t actually English words, they are Greek (in the case of those two) or Latin.
Psychiatrist literally means “mind healer” (from Greek psykhe, ‘mind/soul’ + iatreia, ‘to heal/healing’). Similarly, pterodactylus is Latinized Greek, meaning “wing-fingers.”
Try [The history of English ](https://historyofenglishpodcast.com) podcast. It is very interesting and, at the same time, exhausting.
Try [The history of English ](https://historyofenglishpodcast.com) podcast. It is very interesting and, at the same time, exhausting.
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