I have come to notice a common preference in England for the spelling
'loath' over 'loth' (meaning 'disinclined').   I have always used the
latter, following the general distinction between words that end in 'th'
having that consonant unvoiced (rhyming with 'both') as against the verb
'loathe' (meaning 'intensely hate') which has the voiced consonant.
However, I should not be pedantic because the addition of 'a' in the
spelling usually does not disturb the application of the rule that it be
unvoiced if no 'e' is added.  Are 'loth' and 'loath' (as the adjective
meaning 'disinclined') pronounced unvoiced in America?

Indeed, a look in the dictionary shows that 'loath' -- with the unvoiced
consonant -- has for a long time been used for the 'disinclined' meaning,
presumably because of the semantic association between 'disinclined' and
'intensely hate'.

Elsewhere the addition of 'e' (or 'er' or 'ern') does signal the voiced
consonant (as well as change in the pronunciation of the vowel).  The
'reverse dictionary' gives a long list, but here are a few examples:

     bath - bathe
     breath - breathe
     broth - brother
     cloth - clothe
     heath - heather
     lath - lathe, lather
     south - southern, southerly
     wreath - wreathe
     megalith - lithe
     moth - mother
     rath (Celtic earthwork) - rather
     sheath - sheathe
     sooth (obs. 'truth') - soothe
     teeth - teethe (cf. seethe)

There are a few anomalies:

     VOICED (without added 'e' or 'er')
     bequeath
     booth, tolbooth
     mouth (verb meaning 'speak exaggeratedly')
     smooth (adj.)
     with (same as 'wither'), and 'wherewith', herewith', etc.

     UNVOICED (with added 'e' or 'er')
     absinthe
     anther
     ether (compare voiced 'either')
     lethal, Lethe
     nepenthe
     panther


Edmond


Dr. Edmond Wright
3 Boathouse Court
Trafalgar Road
Cambridge
CB4 1DU
England

Email: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/elw33/
Phone [00 44] (0)1223 350256


     
     
     
     

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