Since English is the evolved product of the assimilation of many languages, it is impossible to provide prescriptive and immutable rules for its spellings.

For instance, here I show “ch” demonstrating three sound values: ch (like tj) – chin/chop, k – chasm/chaos, sh – champagne.

I require:
1. The identification of a letter cluster group which can represent 7 different sounds (5 are pure vowel sounds).
2. At least one word to demonstrate the use of each of these sounds. [If a given word may not be in my solution, I will accept a rhyming word that uses the letter cluster].

Note: That my spelling orientation is generally based upon Oxford English, this challenge should present more effort for a phonetic speller than one who uses American spellings.

[This was presented to me in my primary school years, many years ago, as a demonstration that while native English users may have difficulty, how much harder for those using it as a second language. I have also been careful that the cluster is not in the body of this text]

A good friend of mine has this in his name and it causes no end of mispronunciations.  The cluster is 'ough'.  Let me see if I can remember them all...he claims there are 11 distinct sounds represented by that cluster.

Tough (uff)

Cough (off)

Bough (ow)

Though (long o)

Through (oo)

Thought (aw)

Donought (uh)

Okay, it's late and I could only think of seven.  I'm beginning to think his eleven come from his Scottish heritage and there's a guttural rasp in a few of his extra sounds. :)

Posted by Bob Smith on 2005-08-24 06:23:22