Friday, 10 January 2025

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'. 


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20 comments:

  1. northsider 10 January 2025 at 09:30

    According to Professor Google. Gnome comes from the Latin: Gnomus. That's one for you to Google Linda.
    There is no place like gnome 😃.

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    Replies
    1. local alien10 January 2025 at 09:38

      A big smile 😊
      Gnomus.....I will definitely have to google that. Can't be right lol all words come from Greek, according to the greeks

      Delete
    2. Tigger's Mum10 January 2025 at 12:18

      The Romans will have stolen it from the Greeks.

      Delete
  2. JayCee10 January 2025 at 09:37

    I love that gnome.
    Oh the English language. A crazy mixed up Heinz57 monster of a language cultivated and mashed up by so many influences and now speedily heading in a totally different direction.
    Ya know, like, can I get a regular coffee with this card's expiration date if I reach out to you?

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    Replies
    1. Tigger's Mum10 January 2025 at 12:19

      And ain't that the beauty of English? It isn't dead like Latin or ancient Greek.

      Delete
    2. JayCee10 January 2025 at 13:47

      Alive and kicking!

      Delete
    3. local alien10 January 2025 at 23:16

      You should hear the down under version, never mind the accent.
      Like Tigger says, its certainly not a dead language

      Delete
  3. angela10 January 2025 at 16:02

    I’ve said that exact same thing many times. Even being born in an English speaking country. It’s hard to learn how to spell those words.
    I too love gnomes. There are many scattered all around the garden and during Christmas around inside the home. Keep being positive

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. local alien10 January 2025 at 23:19

      My grandkids all had English lessons and passed exams. Thank goodness they all passed them! They speak it well, without an accent. However, many times when they asked me for help with written grammar it had me scratching my head

      Delete
  4. Susan Heather10 January 2025 at 17:43

    Love your little Christmas gnome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. local alien10 January 2025 at 23:19

      I made a dozen or so, so better than others. All very different

      Delete
  5. Cro Magnon10 January 2025 at 21:31

    We have a concrete Gnome in France. He is riding on the back of a Pig, clutching it's ear. It is very worn and ancient looking, and was given to Lady M by our youngest son for Christmas back in about 1985.

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    Replies
    1. local alien10 January 2025 at 23:21

      I've got a cheap version of yours in the garden. No aging patina though

      Delete
    2. Cro Magnon11 January 2025 at 21:33

      I've just thought. Do you remember the Flanders and Swan song 'I'm a G-nu'?

      Delete
    3. local alien12 January 2025 at 11:55

      I do actually..

      Delete
    4. local alien12 January 2025 at 11:59

      I just listened to it again. A good comedy piece

      Delete
  6. Yael11 January 2025 at 00:10

    I also love garden gnomes, I have a few that I brought from Germany many years ago, they are aging gracefully with me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12 January 2025 at 02:38

    We have the word Gnom in German too, but we pronounce it G-N-O-M.
    Hilde in Germany

    ReplyDelete

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