this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2023
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.
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I'm Italian and I pronounce both "i"s in the same way. Why is English so strange?
Blame the French.
Hey, we pronounce both the same, too. Sorry English, that's on you and you alone.
Uh huh
And how would you pronounce it compared to a German?
The I as in "free", but shorter (not drawn out) and the u as in "urban", maybe? It's hard to find English words where they make the french U sound, but it's pronounced the same pretty much all the time.
In this particular instance, the Great Vowel Shift is to blame. What caused that is up for debate.
In general, English is so strange because it's a mongrel language, incorporating words from a variety of other different languages.