The spelling of "forgotten" may seem perplexing upon first glance. However, the word can be easily broken down using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription. The initial syllable "for-" is pronounced as /fɔː/, while the second syllable "-got-" is pronounced as /ɡɒt/. The final syllable "-ten" is pronounced as /tən/. Together, the word is pronounced as /fɔːˈɡɒtən/. Despite its tricky spelling, "forgotten" is a common word used to describe something that has been neglected or overlooked.
Forgotten is an adjective that describes something or someone that has been unintentionally left behind, ignored, or no longer remembered or given attention. It refers to the state of being utterly disregarded, abandoned, neglected, or overlooked in memory or perception.
When used in relation to a person, forgotten implies that they have been left in a state of neglect or obscurity, either due to the passage of time, lack of acknowledgment, or a deliberate act of neglect. It signifies being overlooked or unappreciated in relationships, friendships, or society. The person may have become isolated or left out from the collective memory or consciousness.
In terms of objects or things, forgotten denotes something that has been misplaced or no longer recalled or valued. It suggests being disregarded, lost, or pushed to the background, resulting in its neglect or unimportance. These objects could range from personal belongings to historical artifacts, implying an absence of preservation or maintenance, resulting in their eventual fading from memory.
Furthermore, forgotten can also refer to ideas, concepts, or knowledge that used to be familiar or significant but have since been abandoned, ignored, or no longer considered relevant. It implies that something once known or valued has gradually faded away and has become unfamiliar or unimportant.
Thus, the term forgotten encapsulates the state of being abandoned, ignored, or no longer remembered in various contexts, including people, objects, and ideas.
Escaped the memory; neglected.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "forgotten" dates back to the Old English period, where it was derived from the word "forgietan". This Old English term is a combination of "for-" meaning "away" and "gietan" meaning "to grasp" or "to get". The word eventually evolved into "forgeten" during the Middle English period. Over time, through linguistic changes, it transformed into the modern spelling and pronunciation of "forgotten" that we use today.