Urk is not a standard spelling

Urk is not a standard spelling Urk is not a standard spelling Urk is not a standard spelling By Maeve Maddox Yes, it’s in the Urban Dictionary, but then, what isn’t? I’ve begun noticing the spelling â€Å"urk† where standard English calls for irk. Headline on the Keene-Valley (NY) Forum: what urks me most Blog title: Stuff That Urks Me Twitter Tweet: One thing that URKS ME THE MOST is people who cross the street when it clearly says DONT WALK! irk: to irritate or disgust (as a person) usually by reason of tiresome or wearying qualities -Merriam-Webster The etymology of irk is uncertain. It may be related to O.N. yrkju â€Å"work.† The modern use of the verb irk with the meaning â€Å"annoy† dates from the late 15th century. The adjective irksome, â€Å"bothersome,† dates from the 1510s. (Online Etymology Dictionary) English orthography makes use of five different letter combinations to spell the /er/ sound: er her, after, determine ir sir, stir, girdle, bird ur urn, turn, burn, spurn, pursue, murder, burr, cur (w)or work, word, world, worm, worship ear early, earth, earl, earn, learn, heard, pearl, search, yearn Yes, it does seem excessively irksome to have five ways to spell one sound, but that’s the way it is. The best way to deal with it is to pay attention to words that contain the /er/ sound the first time you have occasion to write them. Romalda Spaldings mnemonic is an effective way to remember the five spellings: Her first nurse works early. In this sentence the spellings occur in the order of their frequency. Most of the time the /er/ sound is spelled er. The er of early, on the other hand, represents the /er/ sound in only a few English words. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterHomogeneous vs. Heterogeneous20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing