249

VOWEL-CONSONANT PATTERNS (PART 1)

SUSAN THORPE Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England

thorpeds@hotmail.com

In Vowel-Consonant Pal/erns (Word Ways 77221), Philip Cohen presented a list of words based on 125 of the possible 128 (27) 7-letter vowel-consonant (V -C) patterns. Somewhat belatedly, this has inspired me to undertake similar exercises for 8-letter words and 9-letter words. As Cohen ' s article appeared more than 25 years ago, before most of us were aquainted with Word Ways, I have also taken the liberty of repeating his 7-letter exercise, using different words wherever appropriate. Part I considers 7- and 8-letter words; Part 2 considers 9-letter words, and also analyses the patterns with regard to the number of words they form.

WORD SOURCES Webster ' s Second and Third Editions are the preferred sources for the words in most of the articles and Colloquy items li sted in History below, although other sources are usually allowed where no Websterian word is found. By way of contrast, the preferred source for my words is the Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition - head words, variant forms or text words including citations - and words derived from therein. These OED words are unreferenced. Where no OED word is found , I admit other sources. In a few cases I use a word from, or reference to, one of the History items I to 8 below, in which case a superscript number indicates the item concerned. References for non-OED words: aae = California University Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 16.234; bae = The Bulletin of the Amateur Entomological Society 37.320, 1978; bt = Bloomsbury Thesaurus, 1993; cad = Cooper's Archaic Dictionary, 1876; ch = Chambers English Dictionary; coli = Collins English Dictionary, 1998; dbs = The Dictionary of the Biological Sciences by Peter Gray, 1967; ebw = The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Butterfly World by Paul Smart, 1975; gale = Grzimak' s Animal Life Encyclopedia; gb = Bartholomew Gazetteer of Britain, 1977; gg = Genera Graminum (Grasses of the World) by W.O. Clayton and S.A. Penvoize; Hod = Handbook of American Indians edited by F.W. Hodge, 1907; 10 = Longmans Dictionary; Iv = Language on Vacation by Dmitri Borgmannn, 1965 ; nwd = The New Welsh Dictionary, 1970; nz = Nomenclator Zoologicus; ospd = Official Scrabble Players Dictionary; st = Stedman's Medical Dictionary; tf = Tertiary Faunas vol I, 1971 ; wed = Webster' s Collegiate Dictionary, Fifth Edition 1943 ; w2/w3 = Webster ' s SecondlThird Edition; WW = Word Ways Italicised refs. are locations found in The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN): Alg = Algeria; Aus = Austria; Bul = Bulgaria; Bur = Burma; Cam = Cambodia; Clli = China; COil = Republic of the Congo; Cro = Croatia; Cyp = Cyprus; Cze = Czechoslovakia; Est =

Estonia; FP = French Polynesia; Fra = France; Gun = Guinea; 1110 =Indonesia; IC =Ivory Coast; Ita = Italy; Mal = Mali ; Mall = Mauritania; Mor = Morocco; Moz = Mozambique; Net =

Nether- lands; PN =Papua New Guinea; PM = Philippines; Pol = Poland; Rom = Romania; Rus = Russia; Sell = Senegal; SA = South Africa; Syr = Syria; Tog = Togo; Tun = Tunisia; Ukr = Ukraine

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251

VOWEL-CONSONANT PATTERNS IN 7-LETTER WORDS (128 = 27 patterns)

Cohen5 found words for all 64 C patterns, and for 61 of the 64 V patterns. I present a largely different list, and fill two of the three missing V patterns leaving vCCCCCC waiting to be filled.

7-LETTER C PATTERNS CCCCCCC· LLWCHWRs CCCCCCv THRWSSE CCCCCvC CWMBRAN

CCCCCw SHTCHEEs CCCCvCC SCHLOSS CCCCvCv SCHRENE CCCCvvC SCHMEER CCCCvw VNGRAUE CCCvCCC· STRINGS CCCvCCv SCRUPLE CCCvCvC PHRASES CCCvCvv SCRAPIE CCCvvCC THROUGH CCCvvCv SCROOGE CCCvvvC THREIES CCCww STRAUUE CCvCCCC KNIGHTS CCvCCCv CHUCKLE CCvCCvC RHOMBUS CCvCCvv SHAMPOO CCvCvCC· PROVERB CCvCvCv CHARADE CCvCvvC PRONOUN CCvCvvv SPIRAEA CCvvCCC THOUGHT CCvvCCv TREACLE CCvvCvC SPOONER

CCvvCvv PRAIRIE CCvvvCC· SHOEING CCvvvCv SQUEEZEs

CCvvvvC PLOUIER CCwvw CLAIEIE CvCCCCC DIRNDLS CvCCCCv NAPHTHA CvCCCvC· PANGRAM CvCCCvv MORPHIA CvCCvCC NETWORK CvCCvCv BUFFALO CvCCvvC WORDIER CvCCvvv POMPEII CvCvCCC DELIGHT CvCvCCv GORILLA CvCvCvC· LEXICON CvCvCvv FATIGUE CvCvvCC FOREIGN CvCvvCv BEHEADS CvCvvvC CURIOUS CvCvvw SEQUOIAs CvvCCCC WEIGHTS CvvCCCv MAESTRO CvvCCvC DOUBLET CwCCvv TOURNEE CvvCvCC MEANING CvvCvCv COINAGE CvvCvvC· LEAGUES CvvCvvv NOUVEAU CvvvCCC COOINGS CvvvCCv SEEABLE CvvvCvC LIAISON CwvCvv SUOIDEA (gale)

CvvvvCC GOOIEST (coli) CvvvvCv REUEALE CvvvvvC· MIAOUED (wcd)s Cwww ZOUOUIA (Mar)

7-LETTER V PATTERNS wvvvvv· OlOUEAE2 wwwC IUAEIEN wwvCv OUAOURI (Mor)

wvwCC AEAEANS(w2)s vwvCw EUAEMIAs vvvvCvC IAIOLER

vvvvCCv AIOURNE vvwCCC AUOUGHS vwCvvv· OUABAIOs

vvvCvvC AEON IAN vvvCvCv OUURAGE vvvCvCC AEONIST vwCCw IOUKRIE vvvCCvC IOUGLER vwCCCv IOOMBLE vwCCCC OUACHRD(Mor) wCww OUTAOUI(Mor)5 vvCvvvC AERIOUS vvCvvCv AUREOLE vvCvvCC OILIEST vvCvCvv· AUTOCUE vvCvCvC AEROBIC vvCvCCv AUDIBLE vvCvCCC AIRINGS vvCCwv EUPNOEA vvCCvvC AUCTION vvCCvCv AIRLINE vvCCvCC AUGMENT wCCCvv· AINTREE vvCCCvC EARTHED vvCCCCv AESCHNA (ch) wCCCCC EIGHTHSs vCvww ARAOU IA(Mor)5

vCvvvvC AQUEOUSs vCvwCv· EQUIAXE vCvvvCC EPEEIST vCvvCvv AQUARIA vCvvCvC EQUATOR vCvvCCv AMIABLE vCvvCCC UNEARTH vCvCvvv EVACUEE vCvCvvC EROSION vCvCvCv· ANIMATE vCvCvCC ITALICS vCvCCvv INERTIA vCvCCvC UTENSIL vCvCCCv EXAMPLE vCvCCCC AMONGST vCCww AGREEUE vCCvvvC ENVIOUS vCCvvCv OBVIATE vCCvvCC INQUEST vCCvCvv EMPORIA vCCvCvC APRICOT vCCvCCv· ENHANCE vCCvCCC EXTINCT vCCCvvv IMPROUE vCCCvvC APPLAUD vCCCvCv ATHLETE vCCCvCC OSTRICH vCCCCvv ELSTREE vCCCCvC UNSCREW vCCCCCv· ARCHDDU(place)

vCCCCCC

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252

VOWEL-CONSONANT PATTERNS IN 8-LETTER WORDS (256 = 28

patterns)

Words were found for 126 of the 128 C patterns, and for 123 of the 128 V patterns.

8-LETTER C PAITERNS CCCCCCCC· CWMFFRWD(nwd) CCCCCCCv SCHTSCHI CCCCCCvC THRWNTER

CCCCCCw CCCCCvCC VTTRMEST CCCCCvCv HWKSTARE

CCCCCvvC PWNCHEON CCCCCvvv CHHNGAEU (Cam) CCCCvCCC SCHNAPPS

CCCCvCCv SCHRIMPE CCCCvCvC CHTHONIC CCCCvCvv SCHKAGUE(Hod)

CCCCwCC SCHNOOKS CCCCwCv SCHRIEVE CCCCvvvC PHTHIOIC

CCCCww CCCvCCCC STRENGTH CCCvCCCv· SCRABBLE

CCCvCCvC CHRISTEN CCCvCCw STRUTHIO CCCvCvCC PRRASING

CCCvCvCv CHLORINE CCCvCwC SPLENOID CCCvCvvv SCHIZAEA (w2)

CCCwCCC· STRAIGHT CCCwCCv SCROUNGE CCCvvCvC THREATEN

CCCwCw SCHOOLIE CCCvwCC SPREEING CCCvwCv SCRIVANO

CCCvvvvC CHLEOUAT (Mor ) CCCvvvvv SCREAUUA CCvCCCCC TWELFTHS

CCvCCCCv TRINCKLE CCvCCCvC· PROMPTED CCvCCCw TROCHLEA CCvCCvCC· CHAMBERS CCvCCvCv FRACTURE CCvCCwC FRONTIER

CCvCCwv DRAMBUIE CCvCvCCC TWILIGHT CCvCvCCv CHARISMA CCvCvCvC PHONETIC CCvCvCw CRITIQUE CCvCwCC CHEQUERS

CCvCwCv PTOMAINE CCvCvwC STUDIOUS CCvCvvvv BRODIAEA(w2)4

CCwCCCC THOUGHTS CCwCCCv SQUIGGLE CCwCCvC PREACHER CCwCCw· WHOOPSIE CCwCvCC THEORIST CCwCvCv BREAKAGE CCwCwC CROUPIER CCvvCvw CLOUSEAU CCvwCCC TRIEUMPH CCvwCCv CREAUNCE CCwvCvC SQUEALED CCvwCw SQUEEGEE CCvwvCC· CLEEUERS CCwwCv TRAUAILE CCvvvvvC SLEAUUOL CCvvvvvv GRIOUIOU (Mor) CvCCCCCC FISCHSCH CvCCCCCv WOSCHSSE CvCCCCvC· KICKSHAW CvCCCCw CONSTRUE CvCCCvCC· PUZZLING CvCCCvCv FILTRATE CvCCCwC MISCHIEF CvCCCvw BUDDLEIA CvCCvCCC PATTERNS CvCCvCCv MULTIPLE CvCCvCvC COMPUTER CvCCvCw FORMULAE CvCCwCC LINGUIST CvCCwCv DORMOUSE CvCCvwC GORGEOUS CvCCww DESCEIUE CvCvCCCC GALUMPHS CvCvCCCv RESEMBLE CvCvCCvC LlPOGRAM CvCvCCw DISAGREE CvCvCvCC LIMERICK CvCvCvCv· LITERATE CvCvCwC DIVISION CvCvCvw MINUTIAE CvCwCCC RESEARCH CvCvvCCv SEQUENCE CvCwCvC· ZODIACAL CvCvvCvv DETAINEE CvCvvvCC CANOEIST CvCvvvCv RADIOIZE CvCvvvvC HAREIOUS CvCvvvvv BEQUEAUE CvvCCCCC HEIGHTHS CvvCCCCv COURSCHE CvvCCCvC POUCHFUL CvvCCCvv SEAM FREE CvvCCvCC YOURSELF CvvCCvCv JAUNDICE CvvCCvvC· QUESTION CvvCCvvv COUSTEAU CvvCvCCC DIADELPH CwCvCCv QUOTABLE CvvCvCvC DIAGONAL CwCvCvv DIALOGUE CvvCvvCC HEAVIEST CvvCvvCv DIAPAUSE CvvCvvvC CAESIOUS CvvCvvvv MEULEUEE CvvvCCCC RAUASCHT CvvvCCCv NOUEMBRE CwvCCvC QUAINTER CvvvCCvv FEEOFFEE CvvvCvCC MIAOWING CwvCvCv MEIOCENE CvvvCvvC BEAUTIED CvvvCwv* BEAULIEU CvvvvCCC COUEISTS CvvvvCCv COUUERTE CvvvvCvC GUAIACIN CvvvvCvv CAUEAREE CvvvvvCC QUEUEING CvvvvvCv ZAAOUATA M r CvvvvvvC· REUIUOUR Cvvvvvvv HAOUAOUI(Mor)

2 53

8-LETTER V PATTERNS vwvvvvv· vvvvvvvC AIAOUAIS(Hod)2 vvvvvvCv OUAOUILA(Mor)

vvvvvvCC OUAOUARG(Mor) vvvwCvv EOOAIGEE2 vvvvvCvC OIOEIDES (ch) vvvvvCCv OUAOUCHA(Mor) wvwCCC vvvvCvvv OUIANAIA(Ma/) vvvvCvvC IEIUNIUM vvvvCvCv OUUERAGE vvvvCvCC IUIEMONT vvvvCCvv IUUENTEE vvvvCCvC AUAUNCES vvvvCCCv AUUERGNE vwvCCCC vvvCvvvv OUAMOUIA(nz) vvvCvvvC· IEALIOUS vvvCvvCv IEALOUSE vvvCvvCC OUIGOURS vvvCvCvv UUESULAE vvvCvCvC IAIVELIN wvCvCCv UIOLENCE vvvCvCCC AEONISTS vvvCCvvv· OUACHAOU(Mor) vwCCwC AUENTOUR vwCCvCv AUENTURE vvvCCvCC EUECTICS vvvCCCvv AUOWTRIE vvvCCCvC IOUSTLES

vvvCCCCv UMKKNMA(Ukr) wvCCCCC vvCvvvvv AETAEAEI2

vvCvvvvC OUTOUAIS3 vvCvvvCv· IANIUERE vvCvvvCC IOWAIANS wCwCw· IULOIDEA (w2) wCwCvC AUREOLIN wCwCCv AUDIENCE vvCvvCCC AUDIENTS vvCvCvvv EIRONEIA wCvCwC EUROPEAN wCvCvCv OOLOGIZE wCvCvCC EERINESS wCvCCw AUTOPSIA wCvCCvC AUTUMNAL wCvCCCv IACINTHE vvCvCCCC IACINTHS

vvCCvvvv AISSAOUA3 wCCvwC AESTUOUS wCCwCv AESTUATE vvCCwCC· EARLIEST wCCvCw EUPHORIA wCCvCvC OUTLINED wCCvCCv AIGRETTE wCCvCCC OUTRIGHT vvCCCvvv IERDSEIE wCCCwC EIGHTEEN wCCCvCv OOSPHERE wCCCvCC EARTHISH vvCCCCvv· AUGSTSEE(Aus) wCCCCvC EARLSHIP vvCCCCCv AISCHCHA(Rus) vvCCCCCC MRRGHHS(ospd) vCvvvvvv INOEIOIO(Moz) vCvvvvvC AGAIOUAR(Mor) vCvvvvCv· EGUEIITE (w2) vCvvvvCC OBEIAUNS vCvvvCvv· EQUOIDEA (tf) vCvwCvC ISOIONIC vCwvCCv AQUIESCE vCvvvCCC EPEEISTS vCwCwv ABOITEAU vCwCwC EQUATION vCwCvCv EQUALIZE vCwCvCC IDEALISM vCwCCw ARAIGNEE vCwCCvC ORIENTAL vCwCCCv AGAINSTE vCvvCCCC UNEARTHS vCvCvvvv EPOPOEIA vCvCwvC EXIGUOUS vCvCwCv INITIATE vCvCwCC ELOQUENT vCvCvCw EPILOGUE vCvCvCvC· ESOTERIC vCvCvCCv UNIVERSE vCvCvCCC ISOMORPH vCvCCvw APATHEIA vCvCCwC ADOPTION vCvCCvCv· OVERTURE vCvCCvCC ISOTHERM vCvCCCw URETHRAE vCvCCCvC EVENTFUL vCvCCCCv AFERSCHE vCvCCCCC ABOWGHTS vCCvvvvv EZZAOUIA (Mor) vCCwwC ANNOIOUS vCCvwCv INQUEERE vCCvwCC ACQUAINT vCCwCw ILLOOPOO vCCwCvC OPTIONAL vCCwCCv· AMBIENCE vCCwCCC UNLEARNT vCCvCvw ASSAGAIE vCCvCwC ADDITION vCCvCvCv EXPOSURE vCCvCvCC IRRITANT vCCvCCw INSIGNIA vCCvCCvC ACROSTIC vCCvCCCv ASSEMBLE vCCvCCCC ADJUNCTS vCCCvvvv INGREEUE vCCCwvC UNCTUOUS vCCCwCv INCREASE vCCCwCC ALTHOUGH vCCCvCw INTRIGUE vCCCvCvC ORTHODOX vCCCvCCv EXCHANGE vCCCvCCC· INSTINCT vCCCCvvv ONTCHOUO(Con) vCCCCwC OFFSHOOT vCCCCvCv INSCRIBE vCCCCvCC ABSTRACT vCCCCCvv AZGDNDIA(Tun) vCCCCCvC ANGSTROM vCCCCCCv* UL TSCHNA (Hod) vCCCCCCC

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254 PATTERNS SHARED In Near-Alternating Vowels and Consol1anl/, Ross Eckler cites the apposite EIS EN HOWER and AUTOCRA TIC as sharing the same V -C pattern vvCvCCvCvc. Amongst 7-letter words, I discovered that HAVANAS and CIGA RED both have the pattern CvCvCvc. This same pattern forms the basis of a group of mathematical words ... COSINES, DECIMAL, DIVIDED, DIVI OR, FIGURES, HEXAGON, MINUSES, NUMERAL ... and a pair of near synonyms: DEDUCED, LOG ICAL Readers will also be familiar with these 7- letter words: CvCvCvC CAP ITAL, LEX ICON, LITERAL, SIMILES, VOCALIC CvCvCCv BALANCE, CADENCE, CEDILLA CvCCvCC BIGRAMS, CASSELL, COLLINS, LADDERS, LETTERS, NETWORK,

NUMBERS, PATTERN vCvCvCC ITALICS, EDITING vCvCCCv EP ISTLE, EXAM PLE

Amongst 8-letter words, ANGLICAN and ORTHODOX both have the pattern vCCCvCvC and DIVORCES and FINISHED both have the pattern CvCvCCvc. Other groups include: CvCvCvCv DATABASE, GENITIV E, VOWELIZE CCvCvCvC CHA RADES, CLERIHEW, MNEMONIC, PHON ETIC, RHOPALIC CvCvCCvC LlPOGRAM , MALAPROP, METAPHOR, REVERSAL CvCvCvCC DECODING, DOCU MENT, LIMERICK CCvCCvCC SHIFTING, SNOWBALL, SPELLING, TRIG RAMS CvCCCvCC PANGRAMS, PUZZLING, MISPRINT WEBSTERS, WORDLESS CvCCvCvC COMPUTER, MATRICES, PENTAGON SINGULAR vCCvCCvC ACROSTIC, ANTIGRAM vCCvCvCv APPOSITE, OBSOLETE vCCvCvCC APHORISM, ASTERISK, INDEX ING

OPPOSING PATTERNS Each C-V pattern has its opposing V -C pattern in which a C in one word is represented by a V in the other and vice versa. Appropriately, word pairs based on these opposing V -C patterns an have antonymic, or near antonymic, meanings: 7 letters: CvCvCvC - vCvCvCv LOWERED - ELEV ATE, FOREVER - EPISODE, BOTANIC -

ANIMATE, RELATES - EVASIVE, SIMILAR - UNALIKE NOTICES - UNAWARE, DISUSED - UTILIZE

CvvCvvC - vCCvCCv CAUTION - ADV ANCE, WEENIER - IMM EN E 8 letters: CvCvCvCC - vCvCvCvv FOREWARD - EPILOGUE

Words based on opposing patterns sometimes make phrases, as with thi 7-letter xampl : CvvCvCv - vCCvCvC LEISURE ARCADES These same two patterns are responsible for he who IMBIBES the PTIMUM ME of ALCOHOL.

The reader might like to try another exercise - searching for pair of 'i ord \' ith ba k t front -C patterns such as ANAGRAM ~CvCCvC) and SURNAME ( v _).