What is the origin of the silent 'b' at the end of English words such as lamb, comb, crumb and bomb?
- WE OWE the silent 'b' to the fact that centuries ago our ancestors pronounced a b-sound: climb was Old English climban, and bomb comes from Italian bomba. The b-sound was lost by about 1300. It leaves traces to the present day, however, in pairs such as climb-clamber, crumb-crumble. Thumb appears to be a rogue case, because here the 'b' is not etymological; there may have been influence from thimble. There are about 20 words in ending in 'mb'. In some of the rarer ones, such as lamb or coulomb, people sometimes pronounce a b-sound. Phonetically, 'b' is classified as a voiced plosive, as are 'd' and 'g'. Sound changes applying to one tend to apply to the other two as well. This is so with 'g' for those among us who pronounce no g-sound after the nasal at the end of sing and hang, but not for those midlanders and northerners who make singer rhyme with finger. But 'd' remains in the standard pronunciation of mind, stand, round (perhaps because we need the 'nd' sequence of sounds to keep the past tense distinct from the present in fined, tanned, crowned). Even so, we readily omit the 'd' in speech in phrases like mind the doors, stand back, round the corner.
J C Wells, Professor of Phonetics, University of London.
As someone deeply immersed in linguistics and language evolution, I'm well-versed in the intricate depths of semantic evolution and phonetic transformations. The article you've mentioned delves into the intriguing world of silent 'b' at the end of certain English words, such as lamb, comb, crumb, and bomb. This phenomenon traces back to the historical pronunciation patterns of our ancestors.
Centuries ago, these words indeed had a pronounced 'b' sound. For instance, 'climb' originated from Old English 'climban,' and 'bomb' has roots in the Italian word 'bomba.' The gradual loss of the 'b' sound occurred around 1300, leading to its silent presence in modern English.
Interestingly, remnants of the 'b' sound persist in related pairs like climb-clamber or crumb-crumble, showcasing the historical connection between these words. However, outliers like 'thumb' diverge from this pattern, where the 'b' isn't etymological, possibly influenced by 'thimble.'
Approximately 20 words end with 'mb,' and in some rarer instances like 'lamb' or 'coulomb,' some individuals might occasionally pronounce the 'b' sound. Phonetically, 'b' is categorized as a voiced plosive, akin to 'd' and 'g.' Sound changes affecting one tend to impact the others, exemplified by the pronunciation shifts in certain regional dialects, as noted in words like 'sing' or 'hang.'
Despite this, while 'g' and 'd' often undergo modifications, 'd' remains consistent in standard pronunciations of words like 'mind,' 'stand,' or 'round,' likely due to maintaining distinctions between present and past tenses.
The intriguing aspects arise when examining how these sounds are sometimes omitted in casual speech, such as 'mind the doors' or 'round the corner,' demonstrating the fluidity and adaptability of language in everyday usage.
The insights provided by J C Wells, a distinguished Professor of Phonetics at the University of London, underscore the complexity and evolution of English pronunciation, showcasing how linguistic shifts over time have shaped our modern language.
