If it was to be pronounced “nucular”, it would have been spelled that way. The spelling indicates that “nuclear” derives from the already corrupted term and should be pronounced as such.
If you really want to be etymologically correct, nuclear and nucular are both wrong and it should be nuculear (new-queue-le-ar), which is similar to and indeed also, a bit peculiar.
You make a valid point, but the root word is Latin which obeys specific, much simpler rules about pronunciation.
These are unavoidably mangled by passing into post-GVS English, sure, but nonetheless, this is, uh, clearly a case where the spelling does reflect an intended pronunciation.
If it was to be pronounced “nucular”, it would have been spelled that way. The spelling indicates that “nuclear” derives from the already corrupted term and should be pronounced as such.
If you really want to be etymologically correct, nuclear and nucular are both wrong and it should be nuculear (new-queue-le-ar), which is similar to and indeed also, a bit peculiar.
Everything is spelled how it is pronounced, no tough thorough thought required.
Wednesday
February
You make a valid point, but the root word is Latin which obeys specific, much simpler rules about pronunciation.
These are unavoidably mangled by passing into post-GVS English, sure, but nonetheless, this is, uh, clearly a case where the spelling does reflect an intended pronunciation.