Why does the word "island" have an "s" in it when it is not sounded?
338104
because it comes from the latin word for island: ISOLA. when the word got anglicised the s remained.
968106
Here is a word, an onomatopoeia to be exact, that will tell you why:\n\n"Baaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
68520
I believe it is grammar, but close enough buddy. I know that the a-key is close to the e-key. I make that mistake to!\n\nMy wife never farts either. Not even when she eats beans. My sister-n-law however passes gas like a maniac. Louder bombs than mine, funny ? bro.
1133754
maybe we should rename it a Hannah\n\nand why does Lisp have an S.
404908
i think its called a long a...so pronounce it like it has 2 a's
971486
the letter "s" woo hoo. siren siren. ring ring ring
681117
It's the phonetic alphabet.  Theoretically there is no other word in the English language that sounds like any word in that alphabet.  It was originally intended for radio communications, so operators wouldn't confuse letters like B and D.
53277
Because "To" and "Go" are pronounced differently.\n;)
109850
It has to do with the the older versions of English. For example, back in the 16- and 1700 (possibly into the 1800s as well) the English "S" looked like an "F".
100658
Good question.  It's because of the consonant sound that the vowel "u" makes in both words ("yu", consonant sound of "y-").  You already know the rule for articles that preceed a word - use "a" if the word starts with a consonant (or consonant sound), and "an" if the following word begins with a vowel or womel sound.\n\nThat's why.  English is bizarre.
1135821
Well for sure, if the word starts with an X by itself (such as X-Men or X-ray), it will be pronounced "eks."  I've actually heard words like Xavier pronounced both ways, and I live in the US.  Some words beginning with X are always pronounced like a Z, for example xylaphone.  I think it's just us Americans trying to make things more complicated than they have to be.  :)
462486
The word does not exist
460380
I have never thought about it, but now that you mention it, yes you are right, the S is silent, but the name would look silly and incorrect if it wasn't there....\n\nYou know what else? I think spelling like this with the pronunciation that we have all grown up with, we can blame the French! LOL! I'm only half joking, but there's a grain of truth when it comes to some place names because they (as a nation) were there, and other European languages do the same.\n\nIt's even worse sometimes with peoples first names and surnames.
297719
It's the 2nd syllable.\n\nFOR-bid sounds wrong.\nfor-BID is better.
898142
i dont get it. unless i am saying it wrong i pronounce it just like it is spelled:  fo-net-ics (ph makes a f sound btw.)
681341
no its gramatically incorrect when u seperate the a and the buzz try abuzz
437030
It DOES look weird, because it should have a capital "L" then, right?  In stead, you used a capital "I", so I would be confused as well.  your question should actually say "lmao" or "LMAO"  not "IMAO"  Of course it wouldn't make any sense.