September 26, 2012 - Happy Birthday, George Gershwin

nHenwas born Jacob Gershvin when he was born in Brooklyn, New York. (Hisndad had already changed the family name, from Gershowitz ornGershovich,nto Gershvin, when he first immigrated from thenUkraine via Russia.) But we know him by his professional name, GeorgenGershwin.
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nHe was one of the most popular and influential American composers. Henwrote for orchestras and operas, but he also wrote popular songs andnworked as a song-plugger in Tin Pan Alley.

nListennto some of Gershwin’s best: Rhapsody in Blue

nand An American in Paris.

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nBynthe way—Did you notice that Gershwin’s name has four consonantsnin a row? That’s a bit unusual.
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nTrynto think of at least five ordinary words that have four consonants inna row. I put my list at the bottom of this post. (It’s only fair toncount the letter “Y” as a vowel when it is found in the spotnwhere a vowel would be, such as “myth.”)

nCan you think of anynwords that have MORE than four consonants in a row?

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nAlsonon this date:

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