The Idiosyncrasies of the English Language (The Silent L)
If you’re working with an English tutor, chances are that you don’t yet know the word “idiosyncracies.” No worries, since many native-born Americans might not be able to explain it either. It refers to a thing’s or a person’s special, unique or unusual qualities or characteristics. The point is that the English language is loaded with them. For sure, this article could never list and explain them all. Let’s just focus today on one of those that show up in pronunciation today.
One big idiosyncrasy of the English language is the Silent L in many of our words, especially in many of the words we use on a daily basis. While we continue to spell certain words with an “L” we do not pronounce the “L”. For some strange reason this fact is not taught in most ESL or English language classes.
Examples are: salmon, half, walk, talk, chalk, calm, palm, calf, half, could, should and would. I am always amazed at how ESL students try and manage to include the “L” in these words, as they believe they are supposed to. Yet I cannot make my tongue and mouth pronounce these same words with the “L.” In any case, hopefully this new knowledge this will simplify your life in some miniscule (tiny; very small) way.
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