1. Historical Evolution:
* Language change: Languages are constantly evolving. Sounds shift, words change meaning, and spelling conventions change over time. Think of how the word "knight" was once pronounced "k-night" and spelled "cniht."
* Regional variations: Different regions within a language family develop their own unique pronunciations and spellings. This is why we have "American English" and "British English" with some distinct differences.
2. Linguistic Principles:
* Phonetics: The study of speech sounds and how they are produced. Phonetics provides a framework for understanding how sounds are related and how they change over time.
* Morphology: The study of word formation. It helps us understand how words are built from smaller units (morphemes) and how these units influence pronunciation and spelling.
3. Societal Factors:
* Prescriptive vs. descriptive: Some dictionaries and language authorities attempt to prescribe how words *should* be pronounced and spelled (prescriptive approach). Others simply describe how words are actually used by speakers (descriptive approach).
* Social prestige: Certain pronunciations and spellings can be associated with higher social status. This can influence how people use language, even if those pronunciations or spellings are not considered "correct" by linguistic standards.
4. Technological Influence:
* Dictionaries and spellcheckers: These tools play a role in standardizing spelling, though they may not always capture the nuances of pronunciation.
* Mass media: The media plays a significant role in shaping how people perceive and use language.
Examples from Your Question:
* Nature vs. Mature: The pronunciation difference in these words reflects historical shifts in vowel sounds.
* Banjo vs. Banjoe: The spelling "Banjoe" is a misspelling, likely due to the influence of the "oe" spelling in "toe" and "joe."
* Catskills vs. Cats Kill: The difference in spelling and pronunciation reflects the different meanings of the words. "Catskills" refers to a mountain range, while "Cats kill" is a statement about feline predators.
In conclusion, the "decision" about how words are pronounced and spelled is a result of many factors, evolving over time and influenced by language change, linguistic principles, social norms, and technological influences.
It's a fascinating journey to study how language develops and adapts!