LL-L "Phonology" 2006.03.07 (03) [E]

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   L O W L A N D S - L * 07 February 2006 * Volume 03
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Phonology" 2006.03.06 (08) [E


  From: Ian Pollock
  Subject: LL-L "Phonology" 2006.03.06 (02) [E]

  Can anyone speak to the sounds leading historically to English wh and w?
  -Ian
>From Paul Finlow-Bates

My understanding (real linguists please feel free to shoot me down!) is that 
"wh" has its origins back in proto-Germanic times, when Indo-European "kw" 
(in accordance with Grimm's Law?) mutated to "hw". Many IE "k" words became 
"h" words, e.g. *kanis, "dog" becomes *hondaz.  Old English actually spells 
"wh" words the other way round, e.g. "hwit" for white.  Note that many "wh" 
words are questions, and there's a clue; the French-borrowed "question" 
still has the "kw" sound, because Romance languages never went through 
Grimm's Shift.

I'm hoping I got about 6 out of 10! for that little essay.

Paul 

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