Questions: Listen
In Shakespeare's time, the word nothing was pronounced
A) "nuting."
B) "nothing."
C) "noting."
D) "nothering."
Transcript text: Listen
In Shakespeare's time, the word nothing was pronounced
A) "nuting."
B) "nothing."
C) "noting."
D) "nothering."
Solution
The answer is C) "noting."
Explanation
Option A: "nuting."
This pronunciation does not align with historical evidence or linguistic studies of Early Modern English.
Option B: "nothing."
While this is the modern pronunciation, historical evidence suggests a different pronunciation during Shakespeare's time.
Option C: "noting."
In Shakespeare's time, the word "nothing" was often pronounced as "noting." This is supported by the play "Much Ado About Nothing," where the title is a pun on "noting," meaning observing or eavesdropping, which is a central theme of the play.
Option D: "nothering."
This pronunciation is not supported by historical linguistic evidence from the period.