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Cwen to Queen: The Silent Spell‑Change That Shaped English Orthography
Episode 117
Published 1 week, 1 day ago
Description
Explore how the Old English word cwen became queen, tracing the quiet shift from a ‘cw’ digraph to a ‘qu’ spelling under Norman scribes and the printing press. Learn what this orthographic revolution reveals about cultural contact, standardization, and the lasting influence of medieval copyists on modern English.
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