Throughout its history, the English language has undergone significant changes, as evidenced by the writings of William Shakespeare from the Middle Ages. However, one constant in the language is the alphabet, which has remained unchanged since it was adopted in the 700s. This alphabet is based on the Latin script and consists of 26 letters, including five vowels, nineteen consonants, and two letters (Y and W) that can function as both consonants and vowels.
Despite the stability of the English alphabet, there has been speculation about the loss of letters over the years.
Verdict:
TRUE
Prior to the 700s, the English language was not written using Latin characters; instead, it was written using Germanic runes known as Futhorc, which were similar to the runes used by other Germanic peoples such as the Norse from Scandinavia.
When the transition to Latin script occurred, there were certain sounds in the English language that did not exist in Latin. As a result, early adopters of the new alphabet imported some of the runes or created new rune-like letters to address these discrepancies.
In essence, there were five additional characters used in the English alphabet that have since vanished: Thorn (Þ, þ), Eth (Ð, ð), Wynn (Ƿ, ƿ), Ash (ᚫ, ᚪ), and Ethel (ᛠ, ᛢ).
Additionally, during the Middle Ages, the letters “i” and “j” as well as “u” and “v” were considered interchangeable, and were often used interchangeably in text.
Despite these changes, the English alphabet as we know it today has largely remained consistent, demonstrating the enduring nature of this fundamental aspect of the language.
Thus, while the English language has experienced letter loss over the years, the core structure of the alphabet has endured, allowing for continuity in written communication.
