Words that end with the letter combination “mn” 1

Posted by David Speiser on April 25, 2007

Column. Damn. Autumn. Condemn. Hymn.

My Review: 7

These are interesting words with an interesting letter combination. What’s the point? Why have those letters together if they do nothing for pronunciation? I mean, we could really get into it on the phonetics of the English language, so I don’t want to wade too deeply into that one, but it’s still a funny little combo.

Why not write: “colum”? Seems adequate to me.

column

Column

But, there’s a style, a “flavor” :) to those two letters when they’re in cahoots. Maybe it’s because they sit so close together in the alphabet. Maybe M secretly says “tell P to fuck off” and “I think L is a pussy” to N when they’re hanging out together. Or maybe it’s that secretive “nnnn” sounds that vibrates in your head after you a word like that. Hymnnnn.

Hymn autumn.jpg

Hymn                 Autumn

Yet, is style enough? Is it elitist and pretentious to write Autumn with an N at the end of the word for no other reason that style? My guess is that there are etymological reasons (etymology is the study of the history of words) based on language of origin behind some of them.

And again, maybe it depends on word variation. Hym might be fine for a prayer song. But Hymnal (a bok of prayer songs) is much better than Hymal. Who says Hymal?

My review of this letter combination is a 7. Some may say its elitist, but I don’t care. I like mn as a combination, and anyone who thinks different is a comnunist.

Damn

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  1. thesolster Apr 26, 2007 16:02

    That link in the end under “damn” is beautiful.

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