Whats the rule that makes "please" pronounced the same as "pleas"?
Last Updated: 19.06.2025 18:25
If you're curious about why a word is spelled the way it's spelled, your first recourse should be etymonline dot com.
There's no rule.
Please is an anglicization of the French word plaisir.
What do you think is the most powerful line in the song "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" by Édith Piaf?
While you may reasonably ask why words are spelled the way they're spelled, it makes no sense to ask why they're pronounced the way they're pronounced.
Pleas is spelled <pleas> because it's the plural of pleas.
Whence the <ea> I cannot say but some other words that were spelled <ai> in French are spelled <ea> in English: aise → ease, graisse → grease, fait → feat.
Is Veuve Clicquot Brut a good champagne?
You'll usually find your answer there.
What's (not “whats”) the rule?
Back in the day (circa 1300), it was written <plesen>.
What are some funny and smart quotes?
Words are pronounced the way that they're pronounced.