ghoti

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

Though frequently reported to be a coinage of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), this term dates back to at least 1855.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /fɪʃ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Homophone: fish

Noun

ghoti (plural ghoti)

1. A jocular constructed word, supposedly pronounced exactly like “fish” (IPA: /fɪʃ/ ) and used to illustrate irregularities in English spelling:
   • gh, /f/ as in “laugh,” /læf, læːf, laːf/;
   • o, /ɪ/ as in “women,” /ˈwɪmɪn, ˈwɪmən/; and
   • ti, /ʃ/ as in “nation,” /ˈneɪʃən/.
   • 1965, John Algeo, “Why Johnny Can’t Spell,” The English Journal, vol 54 no. 3 (Mar), pp. 209-213:

     G. B. Shaw’s well known suggestion that English spelling habits would allow ghoti for fish gains much of its humor from the fact that the vowel is a unique spelling and the consonants are positional variants misused.