# Change Letter --\> big change in pronunciation **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 1, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510 "2016-08-01T22:26:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/1 "2016-08-01T22:26:11Z")
It’s a comon phenomenon to be able to change a single letter in one word to get a different word. This usually does not make a big change in the pronunciation. Examples: drain -\> grain -\> train; change -\> charge; step -\> stop; latter -\> letter -\> litter. There are many other examples where the only pronunciation change is the letter that changes. However, sometimes such a change causes a massive change to pronunciation. Not every sound will change, but most do. This is most comon with short words. Examples: die -\> dig; out -\> put; eat -\> fat. Because of that, lets restrict this to words at least 5 letters long. Here are a few that I’ve come up with: aloha -\> alpha hideous -\> hideout nougat -\> nought So any others? Remember they must be at least 5 letters long. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/2 "2016-08-01T22:40:33Z")
statutes/statuses ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/3 "2016-08-01T22:46:07Z")
boughed/coughed/roughed for a triple :). ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/4 "2016-08-02T00:01:15Z")
There is at least one case where changing the case of a single letter changes the pronunciation: polish vs. Polish. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/5 "2016-08-02T00:07:47Z")
Or even no change in letters at all. unionized Show that to a blue-collar worker and you’ll hear UNion ized Show it to a chemist, and you’ll hear un IONized ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/6 "2016-08-02T00:24:03Z")
Words that end in -ough are a classic case 5 letters: tough, bough, cough, dough 6 letters: plough, slough, though Also: brought, drought Note as long as specified in the OP but _of_ and _if_ differ the pronunciation of both their vowel and consonant. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/7 "2016-08-02T02:46:24Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Or even no change in letters at all. > > unionized > > Show that to a blue-collar worker and you’ll hear UNion ized > Show it to a chemist, and you’ll hear un IONized Yes, I forgot about that one. There’s others that are similar: **predate** 1. antedate 2. what a predator does But the only thing that changes is the first vowel, so it doesn’t qualify as a big change. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/8 "2016-08-02T03:05:19Z")
chase/chasm: different numbers of syllables, no sounds in common I vaguely remember hearing that there’s a word where you can change a letter and add two syllables (maybe from Will Shortz?), but I can’t find it now. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/9 "2016-08-02T03:13:31Z")
I was watching a ball game the other night and made a list of players whose names looked like they should rhyme, but they don’t. Key / Cey Jones / Bones Rose / Jose Rowe / Howe Bowens / Cowens Garner / Warner Yount / Blount Hough / Gough Loney / Money Haller / Baller Ross / Gross Agee / Magee Smalley / O’Malley Reese / Freese Tabler / Gabler Leal / Neal Frey / Grey Rush / Bush Puhl / Buhl Barber / Schwarber Knoop / Schoop Hisle / Belisle ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/10 "2016-08-02T03:15:57Z")
chase/chasm is most excellent. You may be thinking of are/area, where you add a single letter and two syllables. ETA: This post was meant to be a response to **Kimble**. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/11 "2016-08-02T03:22:02Z")
Idaho/Imaho ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/12 "2016-08-02T03:55:29Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > There is at least one case where changing the case of a single letter changes the pronunciation: polish vs. Polish. There’s more than that one. It’s what I learned to call a [capitonym](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitonym), although the Wiki page I just linked to has a somewhat different definition. There’s lots more with different pronunciations if you consider geographic and personal names. For instance: **rainier** has three different pronunciations depending on whether you mean “more rainy”, the mountain, or the Prince. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/13 "2016-08-02T11:32:23Z")
I know of one case where you can add a letter and, in doing so, you subtract a syllable. Any guesses? mmm ETA: There are probably a few, but I know just one ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/14 "2016-08-02T12:03:14Z")
Whenever I see the word “secreted”, it usually means that something has been hidden. But I always picture it as having been oozed out from a bodily orifice. Sometimes makes for some weird imagery! ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/15 "2016-08-02T13:58:21Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I know of one case where you can add a letter and, in doing so, you subtract a syllable. You can change one letter, and add/subtract two syllables: France / fiance ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/16 "2016-08-02T16:21:30Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > You can change one letter, and add/subtract two syllables: > > France / fiance Not an answer to my question, but good one nonetheless. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/17 "2016-08-02T17:20:42Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I know of one case where you can add a letter and, in doing so, you subtract a syllable. > > Any guesses? They might not be yours, but I just thought of cafe/chafe and (with a **jtur88** assist) fiance/finance. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/18 "2016-08-02T17:53:28Z")
And _ **idea =\> ideal** _ adds a letter and subtracts a syllablle. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/19 "2016-08-02T19:52:41Z")
Doesn’t that ADD a syllable? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510/20 "2016-08-02T19:54:50Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I know of one case where you can add a letter and, in doing so, you subtract a syllable. Mea / Mean. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-letter-big-change-in-pronunciation/761510.md?page=2)