Ghoti

One of the champions of such reform was the playwright George Bernard Shaw - he of the word ghoti, pronounced ❋ Unknown (2010)

He joked that the word "ghoti" was a logical spelling of "fish." ❋ Unknown (2008)

Sure he invented the word "ghoti" but he made the point. ❋ Unknown (2008)

Shaw it was who came up with the tired joke of spelling fish as "ghoti" (gh as in laugh; o as in women; ti as in motion). ❋ Unknown (2008)

Spelling fish as “ghoti”: did this really begin with Bernard Shaw? ❋ Unknown (2009)

George Bernard Shaw pointed out that we should spell “fish” as ghoti, gh = f (enough) o = i (women) ti = s (emotion). ❋ Unknown (2009)

For some reason this reminds me of the old linguistic joke: How do you pronounce the word “ghoti”? ❋ Unknown (2009)

The Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, is said to have joked that the word ‘fish’ could legitimately be spelled ‘ghoti’ by using the ‘gh’ sound as it is pronounced in ‘enough’, the ‘o’ sound as it is pronounced in ‘women’ and the ‘ti’ sound as it is pronounced in ‘action’. ❋ Rene Meertens (2010)

Dans la Language Column du New York Times datée du 27 juin 2010, le linguiste Ben Zimmer examine cette question et conclut comme suit : “La plupart des gens qui verraient le mot ghoti le prononceraient simplement goaty… On ne peut pas tout se permettre en anglais”. ❋ Rene Meertens (2010)

Although the first known published reference to ghoti credits one William Ollier (born 1824), the clever misspelling is often attributed to George Bernard Shaw. ❋ Unknown (2008)

You may have seen ghoti presented before as an alternative spelling for “fish” — and as evidence of our dire need for spelling reform: gh, pronounced/f/as in tough/t? ❋ Unknown (2008)

No worries about ‘ghoti’ swimming around in this language …. xyz ❋ Unknown (2007)

Gh as in cough, o as in women and ti as in ration so ghoti = fish! ❋ Unknown (2008)

Shaw famously argued that the word fish should be spelled ghoti ❋ Unknown (2008)

Last week, JP reported on a panty-pulling hoax, but loyal Japundit reader ghoti pointed out that rather than being a hoax, it was actually happening, calling it roshutsu play. ❋ Unknown (2005)

Completely agree with ghoti that the polite form of verbs is the way to go in business situations. ❋ Unknown (2005)

[Dear] Fishmongers, The ghoti you [sell] is weird and unhygenic! That ghoti made me sick [twice]. I hate your ghoti! ❋ Gravitron (2005)

[Ghoti] is a bastard [word that] only has [application] in written context, and is primarily used by people trying to be smartasses. ❋ Marasmus (2003)

You can give a man ghoti and [feed him] for the day, or [teach] a man to ghoti and he will eat for [the rest] of his life. ❋ RyDawgHowe (2009)

person 1: ghoti is [pronounced] [fish] [english spelling] bad hurhur person 2: that's not how english spelling works. ❋ Crihn Bowonib (2021)

I'm [gonna] go [chomp on] my ghoti....[mmm tasty] ❋ Anonymous (2003)

Did you hear [DJ] DopeGhoti last night? [The show] was [awesome]! ❋ DJ DopeGhoti (2003)

Person 1: I just got a [ghoti] Person 2: [A what]? Person 3: He means he got [a fish]. Person 2: oh ❋ Maxgamer345 (2023)