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Actually, this particular rule is almost as same as math rules: и/ы after a consonant indicates "soft"/"hard" pronunciation of the consonant. Some consonants do
by pandaman 6y ago
Actually, this particular rule is almost as same as math rules: и/ы after a consonant indicates "soft"/"hard" pronunciation of the consonant. Some consonants do not have this choice and are always "soft" so they are never followed by ы as it would make no sense. Of course, there are exceptions: a "soft" ц allows ы in a few special cases. Can't have a proper language where any rule would always make sense :)
- netsuileo 6y agoYour direction of thoughts is right. But this particular rule is completely opposite to your conclusions. Ж and Ш are "hard" consonants so by ear И after them always sounds like Ы. But the rule tells us to write И instead of Ы. This rule of Russian spelling does not make any sense that's why every first-grader knows it.
- pandaman 6y agoWhat do you know, I looked up and you are right - they are really considered "hard". Though, as a native speaker I thought them to be "soft" all my life! I figure the rule making them "hard" is arbitrary, not the и/ы.