The Lost Letter: The Story of Thorn in the English Language

The video discusses the historical letter Thorn, which was used in Old English to represent the 'th' sound. Over time, Thorn's shape evolved to resemble a 'Y', leading European printers to substitute it with 'Y'. Eventually, Thorn was replaced by 'TH' from Latin. However, remnants of Thorn can still be seen in certain tourist signs, where it is often mistaken for 'Y'.

What was the original purpose of the letter Thorn in the English language?

• To represent the 'th' sound

• To represent the 'ay' sound

• To represent the 'y' sound

• To represent the 't' sound

Why did the letter Thorn start to resemble the letter Y?

• Due to changes in pronunciation

• Due to changes in grammar

• Due to changes in its shape over time

• Due to changes in spelling rules

What did European printers do when they didn't have a Thorn character?

• They used an H instead

• They used an A instead

• They used a T instead

• They used a Y instead

What replaced the letter Thorn in the English language?

• The letter Y

• The letter T

• The letter A

• The combination 'th' from Latin

Where can evidence of the Thorn letter still be found today?

• On signs in tourist areas

• In modern English dictionaries

• In historical documents

• In old English books