You know that bit about i before e except after c?

[conuly]

Or when sounding like a as in neighbor or weigh?

Yeah, that's a lie. Or not really a lie, just not as all-encompassing as it should be. I'd suggest reforming the alphabet again, but nobody ever really goes for that, and it's too hard anyway.

Comments

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Not a lie? Maybe it's a lei...

I was never taught the 'unless is an a sound' thing, nor was I ever really taught that bla is an exception, yadda is an exception. So I guess I stand as an example of doublethink, since I can spell all the ei words just fine, yet in my head held the idea that i did indeed go before e except in a couple of cases like their and weird.

The problem with weird is that it's pronounced wee-yurd, and although I can't think of a comparable word, for some reason ie sounds a more logical way to write ee-yu.

I suppose it's the influence of German that means our es and is are all messed up. Maybe.