Apparantly my whole education has been a sham.
I learned today (learned is a strong verb. More like "was made aware that some people think") the letter "w" can be used as a vowel.
This is absurd.
According to a post on answers.com, "people in the state of Washington were not taught that 'w' is sometimes a vowel." The entry goes on to explain how w rests in the same consonant/vowel continuum as the letter y, when used as the final letter of a word, ie "cow," "tomorrow," or "few."
I decided to go to a more authoritative source, so like any good English scholar that meant off to Oxford it was. According to their online dictionary a vowel is "a speech sound which is produced by comparatively open configuration of the vocal tract, with vibration of the vocal chords but with audible friction." In comparison, a consonant is "a basic speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed." It goes on to refer to the w as a "semivowel" because it is used in contrast to consonants, but functions like a vowel.
Leave it to Oxford to invent a third type of letter to justify an obnoxious technicality.
As for me, the letter w remains firmly in the consonant category, if for no other reason than my entire Wheel of Fortune and Hangman strategies are ruined otherwise. I mean, if Pat Sajak says it's a consonant, than who am I to say otherwise?
And for the record, my Massachussetts-educated roommate had never heard of this, either.
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4 comments:
Seriously?! I was never taught that "w" can be used as a vowel either.
...and here's why this is so lame: Every single example given already includes a whole other vowel. I thought that the reason "y" is sometimes a vowel was for words, like "try" and "why." Speaking of "why," why?
Didn't learn that in California or Colorado either. Where exactly is this okay?
learned this the other day when a friend's roomie elementary-ed major read it in a book while a bunch of us hung out. we were all from varying states. no one had any idea.
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