The spelling of the word "yogh" has puzzled many for centuries. This letter, derived from Old English, has been used to represent various sounds throughout history. In modern English, it is most commonly used to represent the velar fricative sound /ɣ/. This sound is made by vibrating the uvula in the back of the throat, creating a harsh but subtle sound. The IPA phonetic transcription of "yogh" is /jɒx/, with the "j" representing the initial consonant sound similar to the "y" in "yes".
Yogh, also spelled yog, yogh, or yoghurt, is a Middle English alphabet character that resembles a curvy, backward-looking "3" and has been largely obsolete since the 16th century. The term "yogh" is derived from the Old English letter, Ȝ, which is also known as insular g.
Yogh was originally used in Middle English to represent the sound of a voiced velar fricative or the "y" sound similar to the "gh" in "night." It had a varied pronunciation across different regions and periods. This letter could also represent a voiced palatal fricative sound.
In its written form, yogh often appeared morphologically similar to the letter "z", but other shapes and forms were also used. One of the distinctive features of yogh was the long descender, which curved below the line of writing. However, with the standardization of the English language and the increase in printing press usage, yogh gradually fell out of common usage.
While no longer part of the modern English alphabet, yogh's historical significance is still recognized today. It represents a linguistic symbol that captures the dynamic evolution of the English language throughout history.
The word "yogh" (also spelled "yog" or "yough") comes from the Old English language. It can be traced back to the Old English letter "Ȝ", which represented the sound [ɣ], similar to the "ch" in the Scottish word "loch".
The letter "Ȝ" itself originated from the runic letter "gyfu" from the earlier Germanic runic alphabet. The name "gyfu" meant "gift" and was associated with the sound [ɣ] in Old English. Over time, the shape of "Ȝ" evolved and became more similar to the letter "Y", which eventually led to the use of "yogh" as a replacement spelling.
In Middle English, the letter "Ȝ" gradually fell out of use, and the pronunciation of the sound [ɣ] changed to [j].