Gn-omes

 My daughter sends  a 'good morning' to me and my other daughter every morning, via WhatsApp, along with a daily gnome. 

I like gnomes. I have a few in the garden. I've knitted a few too, Christmas gnomes. They're more popular than elves or reindeer these Xmases past. Called 'tomte' in Swedish, they help around the home and are rewarded with porridge. 

Anyway

Why does the English language have so many  oddities?

Gn is a digraph. That's from Greek of course, meaning double writing.

In English a digraph is 2 letters that make one sound.

Take gn

At the beginner of a word

Gnome

Gnash

Gnaw

It is pronounced as N.

At the end of a word 

Reign

Sign 

It is pronounced as N

However in the middle of a word

Recognise

Signal

Each letter is pronounced separately N G

This is just the tip of a slippery iceberg, the opening of a deep and convoluted  rabbit hole. 

All I can say is 'thank goodness ' I was born in an English speaking country and didn't have to learn it as a foreign language 

This fine gnome means something more to my long suffering family.

When I was going through my 'new-age stage' I used to chant at them

I am fine 

And my mind is fine

I am fine 

And my body is fine

I am fine

All around is fine

And drove them round the bend. It had a few more 'I am fines' and I had it on tape too.

Now I can laugh at myself. 

Clever Elli for finding this 'gnome of remembrance'.