# Silent 'l' in 'folk' and 'yolk'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198 "2006-06-02T20:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/21 "2006-06-03T01:04:36Z")
Eh, I go both ways depending on the circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/22 "2006-06-03T01:07:03Z")
Well, here’s something interesting: though I don’t pronounce the “L” in folk or yolk, I do (sort of) pronounce it in the name “Polk.” Hmmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/23 "2006-06-03T01:12:30Z")
I’ve been told by my (Southern) boyfriend that this is a Californian thing. I never noticed it 'til he pointed out, but around here, most everyone pronounces the “L.” We’ve even got a street in San Francisco just to rub it in: Polk Street. If you pronounce it “Poke Street,” we know you’re from out of town. (Or, as it turns out, Michigan. Or New England. Or…) ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/24 "2006-06-03T01:25:57Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Yes. The pronunciation guides for [yolk](http://www.answers.com/yolk&r=67) and [folk](http://www.answers.com/folk&r=67) don’t even give an option otherwise. It’s always yōk and fōk. Oddly Mirriam-Webster disagrees on [yolk](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/yolk) but not on [folk](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/folk). I say oddly because because to me yolk and yoke are definitely homophones, but I put the ‘l’ into folk. Similarly I pronounce the ‘l’ in walk and talk, and sometimes the ‘t’ in often, especially if it’s at the end of a sentence. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/25 "2006-06-03T01:29:38Z")
I grew up in The Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk. In the latter word, we always pronounced all the letters. When I worked at a radio station in a town there, they had a jingle package that was done by some Americans, who rendered one series of the jingles unusable, as they sang about being in “Haldimand-Norfuck.” It was hilarious to listen to, but they never made it onto the air. So it must be a regional thing. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/26 "2006-06-03T04:29:16Z")
I’ve lived in St. Louis, Hicksville, Georgia, and southern California, and I honestly did not know that anyone at any time pronounced the Ls in those words. What is the world coming to? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/27 "2006-06-03T06:36:20Z")
Different strolks for different folks. ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/28 "2006-06-03T06:53:47Z")
[q]Different strolks for different folks.[/q] Ooh, interesting point. For you L-pronouncing folks, does the saying not make sense? ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/29 "2006-06-03T06:55:01Z")
Argh, that’s the second time tonight I’ve messed up formatting that way. Sorry. Should’ve previewed. ---
**Author:** ![Capa84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Capa84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capa84)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/30 "2006-06-03T08:13:50Z")
How about walk vs wok? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/31 "2006-06-03T08:26:33Z")
> [@Capa84](#): > > How about walk vs wok? No problem. “Walk” more or less rhymes with “pork” (very, very easy on the “r” sound), “wok” rhymes with “sock”. (Mind you, if you rhyme “sock” with “pork”, going v.v.e. on the “r”, we’re not much further along.) ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/32 "2006-06-03T11:12:31Z")
Fascinating, in the UK with ‘standard’ English we always pronounce the t in often - folk and yolk are foeke and yoeke - there is a hint of a ‘y’ where the ‘l’ is I guess the variable US pronunciation is to do with Folk being derived from Volk as in Volkswagen The one that really grates on me is ‘route’ pronounced as ‘rowt’ (as in Ouch) - rout (rowt) is to gouge out A wireless gouging tool makes one jolt ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/33 "2006-06-03T12:24:47Z")
Given more time to think about it, despite how they pronounced “Norfolk” where I grew up, I say “foke” and “yoke”. Although, the dance is not a “poke-a” and the stereo speakers made by Polk are not pronounced “poke.” Oops, I think I’ve just made it worse… ---
**Author:** ![widgetball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bc8723/32.png) [@widgetball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widgetball)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/34 "2015-02-05T21:05:53Z")
> **[Definition of yolk | Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/yolk)** > > Yolk definition, the yellow and principal substance of an egg, as distinguished from the white. See more. The dictionary says that both ways are correct. It has both without and with the “L” [yohk, yohlk] I pronounce it with the “L” just like the word “folk.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/35 "2015-02-05T21:10:13Z")
I’m trying to pronounce ‘yolk’ and ‘folk’ and ‘walk’ and ‘talk’ without the ‘L’. It’s not easy, and it sounds funny. But then, it drives me batty whenever I hear Mike Wolfe say his name on _American Pickers_. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/36 "2015-02-05T21:31:28Z")
> [@Capa84](#): > > How about walk vs wok? Korean publication - “101 ways to walk your dog”. ---
**Author:** ![SimonMoon5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@SimonMoon5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SimonMoon5)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/37 "2015-02-05T21:49:51Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’ve never heard it, and I’ve lived in Ohio and NYC. > > Just curious: do these people also pronounce the “l” in “walk” or “talk”? I’ve always pronounced the “l” in folk, yolk, talk, and walk. (Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/38 "2015-02-05T22:07:20Z")
How many of the ells in Lincoln do you pronounce? How many of the ells in Lincoln did Lincoln pronounce? There’s a linguistic term, “rhotic”, to describe the way the letter “r” is pronounced (or not) in certain words, or pronounced even when it’s not there. Is there a similar term for describing the pronunciation (or silence) of the ell in all the examples of this thread? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/39 "2015-02-05T23:28:18Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > How many of the ells in Lincoln do you pronounce? How many of the ells in Lincoln did Lincoln pronounce? > > There’s a linguistic term, “rhotic”, to describe the way the letter “r” is pronounced (or not) in certain words, or pronounced even when it’s not there. Is there a similar term for describing the pronunciation (or silence) of the ell in all the examples of this thread? I would guess “lambic” by analogy (rhotic:rho::lambic:lambda), but if you google “lambic” it’s mostly about Belgian beers. Yummy, but not topical. Interesting [wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-vocalization) on the evolution of the pronunciation of “l” in English. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198/40 "2015-02-05T23:37:56Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My emotional (and largely incorrect) assumption when I hear people that don’t use the L or the T is that _they must be ignorant._ Says the guy from Wisconsin. :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silent-l-in-folk-and-yolk/359198.md?page=3)