English spelling can seem weird, but it makes a lot more sense if you understand how English pronunciation has changed since the writing system was created. This is a fun look at how the way English speakers speak has changed over the last 550 years. I also debunk myths about how 'most other languages have systematic spelling.

Thanks to @waltertross3581 for proofreading the captions, though any remaining errors are all mine.

00:00 Two main problems
00:31 Speaking and Signing came before writing
00:50 The spelling was great in 1490
01:15 WH - voiceless fricative
01:35 Whine wine merger
02:31 KN GN MN MB
02:47 Tudor parenting
04:17 WR
05:24 Why so much change in 17C?
05:54 GH
06:17 Velar fricative
07:45 OUGH
08:33 The Great Vowel Shift
11:47 More vowel changes
12:07 EE and OO
12:26 Silent E
13:11 Printing and standardisation
13:35 Caxton's English
14:03 The most difficult spelling system?
14:22 Irish spelling
14:34 Thai final -t
14:50 Tibetan

Charles III - By Mark Tantrum - https://gg.govt.nz/image-galleries/78..., CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

Coat of Arms - Charles I By Sodacan - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

Dog bite - Image by a href="https://pixabay.com/users/glittermist..."Anna/a from a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link..."Pixabay/a

Boxers - Image by a href="https://pixabay.com/users/nbelokonska..."Natalya/a from a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link..."Pixabay/a

Teacup - Image by a href="https://pixabay.com/users/terric-4014..."Terri Cnudde/a from a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link..."Pixabay/a

Meat - Image by a href="https://pixabay.com/users/shutterbug7..."Robert Owen-Wahl/a from a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link..."Pixabay/a

Meat counter - Image by a href="https://pixabay.com/users/bethrosenga..."Beth Rosengard/a from a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link..."Pixabay/a