Episode 6

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Published on:

5th Jun 2025

Why English Spelling Makes No Sense | The Fluent Edge Ep. 6

❓ Episode Title: Why English Makes No Sense

Episode Description:

From cough to though to hiccough, English pronunciation often feels like a cruel joke—and it’s not your fault.

In this episode of The Fluent Edge, Sean Watson and Dr. Howie Jacobson uncover the historical, cultural, and accidental chaos that makes English sound so illogical. From Vikings and French invaders to Dutch printers who didn’t speak English, you'll learn why spelling and pronunciation rarely line up—and how understanding this mess can actually make you a better speaker.

🔹 If you've ever felt fluent but still unsure how to pronounce “colonel,” “plough,” or “debris”… this episode is your validation—and your solution.

🎙️ What You’ll Learn:

  • Why English sounds nothing like it looks
  • How “ghost” got a silent H (thanks to a Dutch typo)
  • Why OUGH has 8+ pronunciations
  • How to pronounce tricky TH sounds (voiced & unvoiced)
  • Why native speakers also mispronounce “chaos”
  • How to stop blaming yourself and start training smarter

🛠️ Tools + Methods Mentioned:

  • Shadowing (to copy native rhythm + stress)
  • IPA decoding (without becoming a linguist)
  • Voice recording as a fluency feedback tool
  • The “soldier on” pronunciation challenge
  • Real reasons spelling reform hasn’t happened
  • Why English isn’t broken—it’s just experienced

🧠 Words That Will Twist Your Brain:

Tough, though, through, cough, hiccough, ghost, colonel, debris, plough, borough, soldier, knight

📌 Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & Episode Overview

01:00 – Why English feels like a trap (26 letters, 44 sounds)

02:00 – GHOTI = fish? Sean explains the chaos

03:00 – From Latin, Celtic, and Norse to Germanic

04:00 – French invaders and food words like “beef”

05:00 – Church Latin + Viking words like “sky”

06:00 – Dutch printers and silent letters

07:00 – IPA and mastering pronunciation tools

08:00 – Canadian vs. American vowels

09:00 – Why “shall” feels outdated

10:00 – Pronunciation hacks: shadowing + recording

11:00 – Accent drift and the future of English

12:00 – TH sounds explained with the touch-your-throat test

13:00 – The “hiccough” paradox and soldier challenge

14:00 – The Schwa: why “American” sounds like “Americən”

15:00 – Submit your voice! Pronounce “tough cough hiccough…”

16:00 – English is not broken—just a 2000-year remix

17:00 – Subscribe, Share, Coaching Links

🎤 Interactive Challenge:

Can you pronounce one or more of these sentences?

"Though the tough cough and hiccough plough me through, I soldier on."


"I thought I bought a thoroughbred, but through a rough cough, it threw me off."

"The bough broke though it looked tough enough to hold, and I laughed through the fall."


"She fought through the drought and brought dough to the borough despite hiccoughs of doubt."


🎙️ Record yourself reading, and we might feature your voice in a future episode!

👉 Send your voice recording here

📥 And don’t forget to download the free Podcast Companion Guide with vocabulary, pronunciation tips, and more:

👉 Click here to get the guide

📬 Let’s Connect:

💼 Coaching with Sean – English Clarity & Pronunciation

👉 tinyurl.com/5669kjnm

🧠 Coaching with Howie – Leadership & Communication

👉 tinyurl.com/yty9n5np

📝 Subscribe to Howie’s Substack

👉 tinyurl.com/askhowie

🌐 Visit our Website

👉 thefluentedge.com

📧 Contact Us

📬 fluentedgeinfo@gmail.com


👍 If you liked this episode:

✔️ Subscribe for weekly insights

💬 Leave a voice message or comment


🔗 Share with someone who’s ever said: “Why is English like this?!”

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About the Podcast

The Fluent Edge Podcast
Business English, Executive Presence & Global Fluency for Ambitious Professionals. Boost your clarity, confidence, and communication edge—in just 15 minutes a week.
🎙️ THE FLUENT EDGE
Level up your English. Amplify your impact.

The Fluent Edge is your weekly power-up for professional English, clear communication, and executive presence.

Hosted by Sean Watson and Dr. Howie Jacobson, we help globally-minded professionals master the language and mindset to lead with confidence.
Real business English, leadership tools, and personal growth—all in 15-minute episodes.

About your host

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Howie Jacobson