Home More advice General Knowledge
How many words have no vowels and what are they?
Is the letter why a vowel or a consonant? Printer Friendly Version
Yes, the letter why is a vowel or a consonant! In terms of sound, a vowel is 'a speech sound which is produced by comparatively open configuration of the vocal tract, with vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction...', while a consonant is 'a basic speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed' (definitions from the New Oxford Dictionary of English, 1998). The letter why can be used to represent different sounds in different words, and can therefore fit either definition. In myth or hymn it is clearly a vowel, and also in words such as my, where it stands for a diphthong (a combination of two vowel sounds). On the other hand, in a word like beyond there is an obstacle to the breath which can be heard between two vowels, and the same sound begins words like young and yes. (This consonant sound, like that of the letter W, is sometimes called a 'semivowel' because it is made in a similar way to a vowel, but functions in contrast to vowels when used in words.) Whether the letter why is a vowel or a consonant is therefore rather an arbitrary decision. The letter is probably more often used as a vowel, but in this role is often interchangeable with the letter I. However, the consonant sound is not consistently represented in English spelling by any other letter, and perhaps for this reason why tends traditionally to be counted among the consonants.
From:
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutother/lettery
Welcome to Fun Advice!
Simply a Rose to brighten your day, And maybe lessen the cares in your way; And also, too, to help you to know, That in knowing you, many others grow!
Geez tbone14 have you ever gone to school!? Cause I'd think that if you did you'd know that: Vowels are: A, E, I, O, U, and SOMETIMES Y!
Lol in those words that tbone14 listed 'Y' is a vowel...
As far as I know EVERY word in the English language has at least 1 vowel in it. - Unless you can actually count onomatopoeic words as words... =\
Haha I forgot about dry etc... I was thinking along the lines of lynx... When did "y" become a vowel?
I thought all onomatopoeic words had a vowel in too?
I should pay more attention in english haha =)
Haha it's not always a vowel just in special cases... Mainly when there is no other vowel in the word haha
Lol nopeee not all like: "Tsk" "Pst" "Hmm"
Haha awe =P
Come on then you obviously know some, tell me =) I can't be bothered to look them up that's why I'm asking...
Haha I didn't think of those ones =P And there was me thinking I should think less haha
ok lazy! here are some,by,cry,dry,fly,fry,gypsy,hymn,myth,rhythm,shy,sky,try
Haha awe! =P
That's okay I had to like rack my brain for those sadly =[
a lot look them up
y isn't a vowel
Haha =P
