What is the total number of words in the English language that contain no vowels?

hunni123

Brrr: The sound of shivering Crwth: An ancient stringed musical instrument Cwm: A cirque (a steep-walled mountain basin shaped like half a bowl) Grr: The sound of a dog Hm: An interjection expressing assent Hsh: An interjection used to urge silence Nth: adjective pertaining to an indefinitely large number Phpht (pht): An interjection used to express annoyance Psst (pst): An interjection used to attract someone’s attention Shh (sh): An interjection used to urge silence Tch: An interjection expressing vexation or disgust Tsk: An exclamation of annoyance Tsktsk: To utter tsk Tst: An interjection used to urge silence thats all i could find Dec 21 06, 5:53 AM

skysmom65

Oh my hunni...there are more than that! "Rhythm" and "syzygy" are the longest English words without vowels. http://www.jayp.net/trivia/lang01.htm Dec 21 06, 7:10 AM

DerekT

In the UK, I don't think "y" is not considered as a vowel as it is in North America. This fact has caused many arguments at our Pub Quiz nights My crossword favourites are "tryst" or the ubiquitous "gry" but there must be many more. Dec 21 06, 8:54 AM

zbeckabee

"If we refer to words that lack "true" vowels (a, e, i, o, and u), the answer is that a number of them do; among them are: hymn, rhythm, myth, sylph, and syzygy (the alignment of three celestial objects). These words contain the so-called semivowel y and none of the true vowels." http://www.grammarmudge.cityslide.com/articles/article/1029289/8966.htm Dec 21 06, 9:01 AM

davejacobs

One might dispute crwth and cwm, as they are welsh words, and w is a vowel in welsh. Dec 21 06, 9:39 AM

Baloo55th

Rhythm and syzygy do contain vowels. Y in English can be both consonant and vowel. If it's pronounced as an i then it is a vowel. Some grammars follow the Latin rules for English, and the Latin rules don't work for English. And they forget that in Latin v could be consonant or vowel (we usually write the voewl sound of v as u) and don't allow English the same privilege with regard to y. As Dave points out, the w in crwth is a vowel in Welsh, and therefore must be when the word comes over into English as a loanword. Dec 21 06, 10:57 AM