GHOTI spells “fish” of course, Everyone Knows That!

George Bernard Shaw was a great proponent of English spelling reform. Here is an example he used to illustrate the absurdity of some English spelling and pronunciation. Using familiar pronunciations here is how the letters GHOTI spell “fish”:

GH as in “rough”

O as in "women"

TI as in "nation"

GHOTI = "fish"

For further spelling confusion try this verse:

An Orthographic Lament

If an S and an I and an O and a U
With an X at the end spell Su;
And an E and a Y and an E spell I,
Pray what is a speller to do?
Then, if also an S and an I and a G
And an HED spell side,
There's nothing much left for a speller to do
But to go commit siouxeyesighed.

Charles Follen Adams