Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words Wondering about Wilderness
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
I suspect the answer would be found in the history of the word and that in, e.g., wild the i was long and, before the great vowel shift, would have been pronounced weeld. In wilderness it was short. Only long vowels underwent the great vowel shift so the pronunciation of i in wild would have gone from ee to eye and the i in wilderness would not have.
Just a guess, mind, but perhaps someone (nuncle?) would have the resources to check it out.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted ![]()
Wondering about Wilderness
TessGreenberg 10/22/05 04:22 PM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
inselpeter 10/22/05 04:31 PM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
Capital Kiwi 10/24/05 08:04 PM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
Jackie 10/25/05 01:42 AM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
cain38 10/25/05 02:53 AM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
tsuwm 10/25/05 03:20 AM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
inselpeter 10/25/05 05:01 AM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
Marianna 10/25/05 07:57 AM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
Faldage 10/25/05 10:32 AM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
zmjezhd 10/25/05 12:26 PM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
Jackie 10/25/05 01:47 PM ![]()
Re: Wondering about Wilderness
zmjezhd 10/25/05 01:58 PM
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,915Posts229,994Members9,198 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members testawad, Bill_L, achz, MAGNVSTALSMA, Burlyfish
9,198 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 0 members (), 1,066 guests, and 2 robots. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 15
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,957tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,955Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org