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⟨gu⟩
Gu is a consonant digraph consisting of the letters G and U.[1] It is found in English and other related languages, particularly French.
Pronunciation[edit | edit source]
⟨gu⟩ is usually pronounced as a (voiced velar stop /g/ sound. However, after ⟨n⟩, e.g. dengue, linguist, tongue, etc.[2] it tends to be pronounced as a voiced velar nasal /ŋ/ (sometimes /ŋg/). And, if this is followed by another syllable, then ⟨n+gu⟩ is pronounced /ŋw/ (or sometimes /ŋgw/), e.g. penguin /peŋ(g)wɪn/. Loan words from Spanish are often pronounced /gw/, e.g. Guatemala /gwɒtəmɑ:lə/ or Guantanamo Bay /gwænˈtæn.ə.məʊ beɪ/.
Other exceptions include:
- ague /ˈeɪ.gju:/
- argue /ɑ:(r)gju:/
- Montague /ˈmɒn.tə.gju:/
- Prague /ˈprɑ:g/
- Segue /ˈseg.weɪ/ is derived from Italian.
Spelling[edit | edit source]
Onset[edit | edit source]
In English, words beginning gu + vowel letter, gu should be considered as a digraph. So for example:
- gu+a… guarantee, guarantor, guard, guardian, Guatemala, etc.[3] Plus Paraguay, Uruguay
- gu+e guerilla, Guernsey, guess, guest.[4]
- gu+i guide, Guillaume, guild, guilt, guinea, Guinea, Guinness[5]guise, Guise,[6] guitar.
- gu+y guy, Guy, Guyana.
Also, some compounds, e.g. disguise.
Note however, this digraph is not found in words that are gu+consonant, e.g. gun, gull, gut, etc.
Coda[edit | edit source]
Gu also occurs in coda position.[7] and its spelling patterns strongly parallel qu. As gu cannot be used to end a word, it must be followed by E, which may be either silent E or magic E.
In the case of ⟨i-e⟩, the I is mutated to the ꜰʟᴇᴇᴄᴇ vowel phoneme rather than the ᴘʀɪᴄᴇ vowel phoneme, following French rules for magic E.
Silent E is found in any word ending in the following:
- -logue /-lɒg/, e.g. dialogue.
- -gogue /-gɒg/, e.g. synagogue.
- -league /li:g/, e.g. colleague.
- -rgue, e.g. morgue.
In American spelling ⟨-logue⟩ is “simplified” to ⟨-log⟩, e.g. dialogue → dialog.
Cognates[edit | edit source]
Gu is often cognate with W. Gu-words tend to be Latin origin, whereas W-words tend to be of Germanic origin. Sometimes this change is noticeable across related languages: Compare these doublets:
- guardian/guard and ward
- guarantee and warranty
- Guillaume and William
- French: guerre and English war.
- guise and wise
- etc.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://www.spelfabet.com.au/spelling-lists/sorted-by-sound/g/gu-as-in-guess/
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-containing-ngu
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-that-start-with-gua
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-that-start-with-gue
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-that-start-with-gui
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guise
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-that-end-in-gue
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-that-end-in-ague
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-containing-ogue
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-that-end-in-igue
- ↑ https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-containing-ugue