Why are there 3 ways to pronounce 'ch' in English? Pronunciation lesson 👄 · BBC Learning English
揭秘英语中'ch'的三种发音现象，适合练习发音和词汇历史。了解不同单词中'ch'的发音规则，提升语言理解力。
The other day, as I was nonchalantly wandering to the chemist to get some cheese, I thought to myself:
前几天，当我漫不经心地走到药店去买些奶酪时，心里想：
"Why am I going to the chemist to get cheese?"
我为什么要去药店去买奶酪呢？
And then I remembered.
然后我想起来了。
It's all to do with the letters 'CH'.
这一切都与字母“CH”有关。
In the word 'nonchalantly', which means in a casual and relaxed manner, the C H in the middle of the word is pronounced [sh].
在单词 “nonchalantly” 中（这个词的意思是“以随意、放松的方式”），单词中间的字母 “C” 和 “H” 的发音是 [ʃ]。
In chemist, the C H at the beginning is pronounced [k].
在化学术语中，开头的 “CH” 应读作 [k]。
But C H in cheese is pronounced [tch].
不过，在奶酪中的“CH”发音为[tʃ]。
So why is this?
那么，为什么会这样呢？
The truth lies as ever in the history of English.
事实，一如既往，隐藏在英语的历史之中。
English has evolved from many sources.
英语是从多种语言来源演变而来的。
It has invented, absorbed and borrowed vocabulary from those who invaded us and those who we have invaded.
它从那些入侵我们的人以及我们入侵过的人那里吸收了大量的词汇。
The pronunciation of many words can give us a clue where they came from.
许多单词的发音可以帮助我们判断它们起源于何处。
So what about our friend C H then?
那么，我们的朋友 C.H. 呢？
What do we know about the origins of the words that pronounce these letters differently?
关于那些发音方式不同的单词的起源，我们了解多少呢？
Words that originally came from the Greek language, like chemist, school, mechanic, orchestra, pronounce the C H as .
一些源自希腊语的词汇（如“chemist”（化学家）、“school”（学校）、“mechanic”（机械师）、“orchestra”（管弦乐队））中的字母“C”和“H”应发成 /tʃ/ 的音。
These words may have travelled through other languages, but are often connected with the fields of study, science and politics.
这些词汇可能经过了其他语言的“传递”过程，但它们通常与学术研究、科学以及政治领域密切相关。
The pronunciation of C H is in words that originally come from French: nonchalant, machine, chauffeur, chivalry and quiche.
CH”这个字母组合的发音出现在一些源自法语的单词中，例如：nonchalant（漫不经心的）、machine（机器）、chauffeur（司机）、chivalry（骑士精神）以及quiche（乳蛋饼）。
Which brings us back to cheese again.
这就又把我们带回了奶酪的话题上。
Words like cheese, church, beach and child can trace their roots back to middle and old English.
像“cheese”（奶酪）、“church”（教堂）、“beach”（海滩）和“child”（孩子）这样的词语，其词源可以追溯到中古英语和古英语时期。
So how does this help us if we don't know any of this history?
如果我们对这段历史一无所知，这又怎么能对我们有所帮助呢？
The majority of words with C H are pronounced as [tch], this is the biggest group.
大多数以 “CH” 为字母组合的单词的发音都是 [tch]，这是这类单词中数量最多的一个组。
And words that end in C H are almost always pronounced [tch].
以 “CH” 结尾的单词几乎总是发 [tch] 这个音。
Almost always, but not always always.
几乎总是这样，但也不总是如此。
For example, take the words patriarch, monarch, oligarch, they are of Greek origin and all end in the sound.
例如，以“patriarch”（族长）、“monarch”（君主）、“oligarch”（寡头）这几个词为例：它们都源自希腊语，且词尾的发音都相同。
Interestingly, they are all based on the same root Greek word, which means rule: A R C H,
有趣的是，这些词汇都源自同一个希腊语词根，这个词根的含义是“统治”：A R C H。
which is, of course, pronounced 'ark'.
当然，它的发音是“ark”。
No, of course it isn't.
不，当然不是这样。
It's arch.
它是拱形的。
Even though it's a word which comes from Greek, the C H is pronounced [tch].
尽管这个词源自希腊语，但其发音中的 “CH” 应读为 [tch]。
And you can still get caught out on the odd, very odd,
而且你仍然有可能在一些极其罕见的情况下出问题（或被抓住把柄）。
word like yacht.
比如“yacht”（游艇）这样的词。
The first time I saw this word, I thought it was pronounced 'yatchet'.
我第一次看到这个词时，以为它的发音是“yatchet”。
But of course, it's not.
但当然，事实并非如此。
The C H is [silent].
这个字母“CH”是静音的（即不发音的）。
And don't get me started on the schedule/schedule debate, Which is correct: [sh]edule or [sk]edule?
更别提关于“schedule”这个单词的拼写问题了——到底应该写成 [sh]edule 还是 [sk]edule 呢？
Well, they both are.
嗯，它们两者都是。
In British English the pronunciation is [sh]edule, but in American English, it's [sk]edule.
在英式英语中，这个词的发音是 [ˈʃedjuːl]，而在美式英语中，发音则是 [ˈskedjuːl]。
According to my schedule, it's time for that cheese.
根据我的日程安排，现在该吃那块奶酪了。
I'm off to the chemist.
我要去药店了。