Do we miss them?

These letters were left out of the English alphabet, and here's why

Image: Ksenia Makagonova

Some letters and symbols were once part of the English alphabet or its ancestors. But time and lack of use eventually made them be dropped, replaced, or forgotten. Most of them come from Old English, Middle English, Latin, or early printing traditions, and their stories are full of phonetic shifts, shortcuts, and the drive toward standardization. Let’s look at them!

Image: Andrey Grinkevich

Thorn was used to represent the "th" sound in words like thin or this. It visually resembled a modern P, which often causes confusion when seen in old manuscripts.

Common in Old English, it eventually got phased out during the Middle English period, replaced by the two-letter combination th. Thorn survives today in modern Icelandic, though!

Image: James Barnett

Eth was another letter used to represent the "th" sound, particularly the voiced version. It looked a bit like a crossed D and appeared alongside thorn in Old English texts.

Over time, English speakers settled on using "th" for both the voiced and voiceless sounds, and eth gradually fell out of use. Like thorn, eth still exists in modern Icelandic.

Image: MART PRODUCTION

Wynn was used to represent the "w" sound in Old English—a sound that Latin lacked a letter for. It resembled a capital "P," though it had no connection to that sound.

Instead of writing two "u"s (as in "uu"), scribes used wynn. Over time, however, "uu" evolved into the modern "w," and wynn was phased out during the Middle English period.

Image: Josué AS

Yogh had a rather confusing role. It could represent several sounds: a throaty "gh" like in "night," a "y" as in "yes," or even a soft "g" like in "genre," depending on context and region. It looked like the number 3 and was used heavily in Middle English.

As spelling and pronunciation evolved, these sounds were either lost or spelled differently (gh, y, j, or g).

Image: Bruno Martins

Ash is a fusion of "a" and "e," borrowed from Latin and used in Old English words like æthel (noble). It represented a distinct vowel sound, somewhere between "a" and "e," like the short "a" in cat.

In early English texts, it was treated as a letter in its own right. Over time, as English spelling standardized, ash was replaced by "a" or "e" depending on pronunciation.

Image: Natalia Y.

Think of Ethel as a relative of ash. This ligature combines "o" and "e" and shows up in Latin borrowings like fœtus, œuvre, and œconomy. As spelling was standardized, it got the axe in favor of plain old "oe" or even just "e."

You’ll still spot it in French and in stylized English writing.

Image: Jo Coenen - Studio Dries 2.6

This curious mark, which resembles a 7, means "and." Created by Cicero’s secretary Tiro in ancient Rome, it became a popular shorthand used by monks and scribes throughout the medieval world, including in Old English.

In Ireland, it persisted longer than almost anywhere else, until the more elegant ampersand (&) eventually took its place.

Image: Mark Wieder

Well, we know this one! But as a symbol, not as a letter from the alphabet. Once upon a time, schoolchildren recited it after "Z": X, Y, Z, and "per se and," which eventually morphed into the word "ampersand."

The symbol itself is a ligature of the Latin word et, meaning "and."

Image: Mark Rasmuson

This one looked like a medieval mashup of a "g" and a "z," and was mostly found in Irish and Old English manuscripts.

It served the same purpose as today’s "g." It stuck around until the Carolingian script took over, giving us the more familiar "g" we know today.

Image: Ot van Lieshout

At first glance, the Long S (ſ) looks like a stretched-out "f" missing its crossbar, but it’s an "s" in disguise. This character was used at the start and middle of words (e.g., ſunshine, bleſſing), but never at the end.

The character was ubiquitous in English printing until the late 1700s, when it was gradually replaced by the modern "s."

Image: Aaron Burden

The letter itself sounded like the "ng" at the end of "fang" or "sing."

The letter resembles an "n" with a tail and remains in use today in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and in languages such as Sami and Māori. However, English spelling never officially adopted it.

What science says

It was false after all: 10 health myths that sound true—but aren't

Image: Alicja Gancarz

Health myths are everywhere! These ideas were simply passed down for so long that they became part of what we believed. But now science has stepped in to clear things up. Does cold weather make you sick? Can lemon detox your body? Is reading in low light really harmful? Let's uncover the truth behind 10 common health myths!

Image: Element5 Digital

Have you ever been told that cutting your hair will make it grow faster? We're sorry to say that's just a myth. Hair grows from the root, not the ends. So, trimming it won't boost growth, though it does help remove split ends that can make your hair look dry or unhealthy.

Image: Thom Holmes

This is one of the most common health myths. Cold weather often gets blamed, but it's not the temperature that makes you catch a cold. During winter, we tend to stay indoors with others and keep the windows closed, an environment that makes it easier for viruses to spread. That's why colds tend to be more common in winter!

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The idea that eating before bed automatically leads to weight gain is a myth. In reality, it has more to do with what you eat and how much, rather than the time of day. Often, when we eat very late at night, we're tired and more likely to reach for quick, high-calorie, heavy foods. This can disrupt sleep and lead to consuming more calories than we burn, both of which may affect weight. If it's close to bedtime, it's better to have something light and healthy in a moderate portion than to skip a meal altogether.

Image: Bud Helisson

Does wearing glasses weaken your vision? Myth! If an eye doctor prescribes glasses, wearing them as directed helps correct your vision; it won't make it worse. Additionally, the right glasses can help prevent or reduce headaches caused by reading or spending long hours in front of a screen.

Image: Amir Balam

This myth is closely related to the previous one. If you love reading and sometimes have to do it in low light because of the situation, don't worry. According to experts, reading in low light doesn't cause permanent or irreversible eye damage. However, it's not recommended because it can make your eyes feel tired or strained, leading to discomfort or headaches.

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We're all different, and so are our bodies. The idea that everyone should drink exactly eight glasses of water a day is more of a general guideline than a rule. Staying well hydrated throughout the day is extremely important, but how much water you need depends on factors like your weight, age, climate, and overall health. We should prioritize staying consistently hydrated instead of obsessing over the number of glasses we drink.

Image: Tirza van Dijk

Some people say drinking lemon water helps eliminate toxins and cleanse the body. While adding a slice of lemon to your water is a refreshing way to stay hydrated, it doesn't have any special "detoxifying" powers. The vitamin C in citrus fruits is beneficial, but the body has its own natural detox system. The liver and kidneys are the main organs that filter waste and eliminate toxins.

Image: Aneta Voborilova

Not all fats are bad! Just like other food groups, your body needs fats to function properly. The important thing is knowing the difference between healthy fats and those that can be harmful. Foods like avocados, seeds, olive oil, fish, and nuts are rich in healthy fats. On the other hand, the fats found in processed or fried foods are the ones that can have a negative impact on your body.

Image: Elevate

Liver diseases can be serious. While heavy and frequent consumption of alcohol and fats is a major contributor, it's not the only cause. Liver problems can also result from many other factors. These include viral infections, autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders, high blood pressure, and exposure to certain chemicals.

Image: Brooke Lark

There's some truth to it: breakfast is important because it replenishes our glucose and energy levels and supports proper metabolism. However, the idea that it's the most important meal of the day might be an exaggeration. Everyone's body has different needs, and all meals are important, so we shouldn't skip any of them!