I know that I joke a lot about my poor writing skills but the other day in my Greek class I found out just how poor a grasp of the English language I have.
I don't know why, but for some reason my professor was talking about the number of vowels in English and he said something like "We all know how many vowels we have in English." I confidently thought to myself: A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y. After someone said "five" and someone else said "six" (presumably counting Y) someone from the front of the room said "seven." Five and six I can accept, but when I heard seven I began to mock the student in my mind (which I do with regularity when stupid things are said) until my professor repeated "seven" as if it was correct.
He then reminded us that "W" can serve as a vowel in the English language and the whole class except a couple of us seemed to accept it as gospel truth.
He then went on to explain that in words like "snow" the W serves as a vowel.
How on earth could I have graduated high school and college without ever hearing this? Was my education that poor? Are my Greek prof. and the rest of my class crazy?
I can sort of understand not hearing this in college, maybe they thought it was fundamental and I should have learned it in... oh I don't know...Kindergarten!! But to go through elementary school and high school and not hear this (if it is indeed true) is absurd. I even excelled in elementary school and high school, I seriously don't understand and thus I have come to this conclusion:
I don't believe it. I don't believe that "W" can serve as a vowel. I don't care how many people tell me it can, or how many English professors speak against me, right now I refuse to accept it.
I'm fine with Y, but W I will not tolerate. Am I the only one who has never heard this? I guess either way it doesn't matter because I'm just refusing to accept it. It is simply not true!
So this isn't theological and it's really not that interesting, but I had to vent somewhere and it's my blog so deal with it or else maybe I'll just refuse to accept that you exist.
Ben
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5 comments:
You're nuts. I mean, growing up in New Jersey, of course I have known for years that W may act as a vowel. Heck, I was even homeschooled!! You rural PA folks. . . You're silly.
I'm with you Ben. "W" does not exist as a vowel! humf. I have not heard such a thing before either.
'snow' would still be the same if you spelled it "snoe" or "sno". W is not a vowel. viva the revolution!
I jumped over here from Dave Black's blog ... and I Am with you ... no to W as a vowel!
Blessings!
~Heather
Man...w's acting like vows, single-spacing after a period...what's this world coming to?
...and I totally wrote "vows" instead of "vowels"...it's going to be a long day at the office...
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