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The newly appointed ambassador from a small but logical country arrived in London and began learning English. After three months, he submitted a formal complaint to the British Council.
“I have encountered a letter cluster — ‘ough’ — which appears to have no stable pronunciation. Please clarify.”
The British Council sent back a polite note explaining that ‘ough’ could be pronounced several ways depending on the word.
The ambassador replied: “Your explanation has not resolved the matter. I present you with the following sentence, constructed entirely from ‘ough’ words: ‘Though the tough cough and hiccough plough me through, I thought I could thorough rough.'”
“I ask again: what is the rule?”
Three weeks passed. The ambassador received a reply consisting of a single sentence: “There is no rule.”
Below that, in smaller type: “We are sorry. We inherited this.”
The ambassador framed the letter and hung it in his office.
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