Here's why:
* Phonetic spelling: Afrikaans is a phonetic language, meaning words are generally spelled as they are pronounced. This means there are fewer instances of silent letters compared to languages like English.
* Letter combinations: While some letters might appear to be silent, they often play a role in the pronunciation of the following letter or sound. For example, the "e" in "berg" (mountain) is silent, but it indicates that the "g" has a hard sound.
Therefore, instead of a specific term like "silent letter," it's more accurate to consider how letters contribute to pronunciation in Afrikaans.