The Silent K

The Silent K The Silent K The Silent K By Sharon One common spelling error is omitting the K at the beginning of words where it is silent (example: nick-nack instead of knick-knack). The origins of silent K are difficult to pin down. What we do know is that the k wasnt always silent, especially in words of Germanic origin. Just as it is in German, the k was actually pronounced and many of the words which now have silent k originally began with that distinctive clicking sound. My high school teacher made a point of this when teaching us Chaucer. However, some time after the Chaucerian era, the k sound disappeared from the kn combination. There is speculation that it suddenly became hard to pronounce, and was just one of many linguistic changes after the Great Vowel Shift. I havent found any corroboration for this theory. Heres a partial list of words with a silent K. Feel free to add yours. knack knacker knapsack knave knead knee kneel knell knelt knew knick-knack knickers knife knight knit knob knock knoll knot know knowledge knuckle Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Compared "to" or Compared "with"?Email EtiquettePhrasal Verbs and Phrasal Nouns