It’s kind of funny, I think, that a plant so closely associated with America is actually not native at all.

  • Darohan@lemmy.zip
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    8 days ago

    I hate to say it, but ð is likely the wrong character for that sound, you’d be better with þ. Ð is never used at the start of a word, and þ has a long history in English as being used in abbrieviations for words like “the” and “that” (see “uses” in this article https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(letter)). Your use of ð is correct for the Icelandic use of the sound, though, so I absolutely see where you’re coming from.

    Unless you’re using the IPA ð, in which case ignore me.

    (sorry for the rant, I used to be very passionate about returning þ to common use in English)

    • ÞlubbaÐubba@lemm.ee
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      8 days ago

      Ð use of þ in ðat manner suggests it as a historical spelling dating to a lack of distinguishing of ð sound in English prior to ð letter being codified in written English.

      Ðat distinguishment is very much ðere now, and so not using ð appropriate sound due to a grammar clause which is likely an artefact of ð sound not being present at its time of becoming convention is perpetuating ð same kind of issue ðat reintroducing ð and þ would ostensibly seek to help.

      So eiðer we could preserve ð grammar convention by assigning þ ð voiced sound, or we could preserve phonemic convention by assigning it its namesake unvoiced sound. Eiðer way, doing boþ doesn’t really address ð core issue, just change ð coat of paint its wearing.