Plait: why do we pronounce it 'platt' and not 'plate'?

[caughtintheact]

Anyone know?

Can't think of any others like it.
Bait
Gait
Wait...

My American DH is confused and wants to know!

Isn't it a french word originally?

yes I think so, but the french pronounciation would be 'play' or 'plate' wouldn't it? like lait?

really the relevant question would be 'why do we spell it plait not platt?'

In English pronunciation changes much less than spelling - think of Chaucer.

Just to confuse things further, I pronounce it "pleet".

are you mixing up a French plait ('platt') and a French pleat ('pleet')?

No, not mixing up. I've never heard the word pronounced as "platt". I pronounce all hair plait styles as "pleets".

Plaid similar.

how peculair - where do you live? is it regional, do you think?

it's one of those movement of the vowel sounds words: there are loads in the english language.

at one point in time, it would have been that the "ai" sound was pronounced "a" and so it stuck. when the vowel sound was moved to "ay" the pelling remained.

very similar idea to bough, bought, bow, bow, etc

I would distinguish between plait and pleat too. Hair in plaits pron pleats sound as if a painful head ironing job has gone on!

sorry, spelling remained with the old pronounciation.

Think "pleet" is a SCottish thing.

Agent - I pronounce it pleet as well.

it is not just hair - straw plaiting for example was a traditional method used for centuries - for hats and baskets etc.

I guess it comes from the same stem as a pleat (eg a fold in cloth).

Old english spelling apparently pleit.

I'm from Glasgow, so it probably is a regional thing. Glad to see mawbroon agreeing - I was beginning to doubt myself!

I pronounce both 'plait' and 'pleat' as 'pleet' as well but would never choose to spell it as 'plait'.

I've never heard any Scot say 'platt'.

Also, I see a 'pigtail' as a plait/pleat - and not the same as a 'ponytail'.

Did you konw that if you follow some examples in the english language you can spell Fish like this -> ghoti

gh as in enough
o as in women
ti as in nation