i before e except after c and “ay” as neighbor or weigh?

Signage in Bloomfield
Caught my eye as I waited in a line of traffic. Exceptions listed below.

Mr. Bob Cummingham makes a case that the rule is of little use “Examples of exceptions to the rule: Sticking for the moment to the basic rule, “i before e except after c”… here are some exceptions…..beige, cleidoic, codeine, conscience, deify, deity, deign,
dreidel, eider, eight, either, feign, feint, feisty,
foreign, forfeit, freight, gleization, gneiss, greige,
greisen, heifer, heigh-ho, height, heinous, heir, heist,
leitmotiv, neigh, neighbor, neither, peignoir, prescient,
rein, science, seiche, seidel, seine, seismic, seize, sheik,
society, sovereign, surfeit, veil, vein, weight, weird”

5 thoughts on “i before e except after c and “ay” as neighbor or weigh?

  1. This is really amusing, both words and “picture.” Sharp eyes – I did not see Bloomfeild right away!

Leave a Reply to JoyceCancel reply