why is it so difficult to spell diarrhoea?

[mustthinkofabetterusername]

Seriously. Why?
The joke in the NHS is that there are 10 ways to spell it?

Any linguists out there who can explain why almost no-one can learn and remember to spell this word correctly?

[Redlocks28]

Dash in a real rush, hurry or else accident.

I never forget ;)

[Meow75]

I have a fabulous mnemonic from reading a Gervase Phinn memoir many years ago.

Dash
In
A
Real
Rush,
Hurry
Or
Exploding
Arse

Written by a Primary School child.

[Meow75]

Oh, Redlocks!!!!!

[IguanaTail]

Etymology is:

diarrhea" (coined by Hippocrates), literally "a flowing through,"

Ughhh

[DropYourSword]

Dogs
In
A
Red
Room
Have
Only
Eaten
Apples


Doesn't have to make sense to be remembered! But it IS a very difficult word to just remember how to spell. Probably unusual letter combinations we just aren't used to.

[AuntieStella]

I can't spell it, and need a near miss with a predictive keyboard sorts it out for me.

I think of it as dire rear...

[Pipbin]

Doesn't it always run rather horribly over each ankle.

[KinkyAfro]

Doing it alone really rattles his old elephant's arse. From an English teacher years ago

[MummySparkle]

Dash in a rush, run home or else accident!