Re: Why don't we spell cat with a K?

From: Helmut Richter (a282244_at_mail.lrz-muenchen.de)
Date: 06/21/04 

Date: 21 Jun 2004 13:38:36 GMT

In article <1604968.0406210520.a03987a@posting.google.com>, Marco
Cimarosti wrote:

> Keith Edgerley wrote:

>> [...] Willy, for instance seems to be written that way just as often as
>> Willi. Even for people born 100 years ago.

> Doesn't "y" normally sound like "ü" in German?
>
> And do you prononce "Willy" as "Wilü"? If you don't, that's a clear
> hint to a spelling borrowed from some language wher "y" normally
> sounds like "i" (likely, English or French).

Yes and no. Final <y> always sounds [I], but it may well be that all
these words are recent borrowings whereas most words where stressed
<y> sounds [y] are borrowings from ancient Greek, e.g. "Psyche".

In my perception, perhaps distorted by the name of my grandpa Willy
(1885-1955), "Willy" looks more old-fashioned than "Willi". If someone
introduces himself as "Willi", I would not bother asking him how he is
spelt but rather guess a final <i>. Writing names with an initial <C>
("Carl", "Clara", "Claus") was a fad hundred years ago more than
today, although it is still in use as an exception, and so is final
<y>. An exception are American-looking girls' nicknames ("Mandy",
"Peggy") which were popular in East Germany prior to the reunification.

Helmut Richter