Re: Strangeness of U (was Re: CHAT behove etc (was: Natlag: Middle English imper

John Vertical wrote:

>> R A Brown wrote:
>>
>>> it simply dates back to the time when U and V were the same letter.
>>> If _u_ came before a vowel, then it was /v/, but if it came before a
>>> consonant then it was a vowel (with one of the possible
>>> pronunciations of |u|).
>>>
>>> When the two letters were differentiated, those final Es could'v
>>> been dropped, but most people continued, and still continue, the
>>> write them. It is just habit.
>>
>
> I see. Final vocalic <ue> as in argue, true, blue etc. is presumably a
> later innovation?
>
I don't know.  Those are all following consonant clusters, where 've'
would be an impossible interpretation.

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