Spark one up and answer this query...

[MiHale]

Is it the s or the c in scent that’s silent?

[MuseRider]

1. Good question!

LOL, every time I read something like this I feel bad. Evil weed here, still evil weed. Our house said medical was ok but the senate freaked all the fuck out and started in, once again, with the waving of arms and hair on fire. It reminds me of the olden days when you had to put your drink away when you flew over Kansas because......evil alcohol.

Anyway, s or c? No clue, my hidden stash has been empty for some time and that is not a question for a sadly straight mind.

[The Magistrate]

2. Not Bad, Sir

Something to ponder in odd moments....

[Arkansas Granny]

3. Hang on. Gimme a couple of minutes and I'll let you know.

[Marcuse]

4. Alien Rift says:

https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-usage/is-thes-c-silent-scent-mystery-explainedNeither is silent. They work together as a digraph in the word scent to create the /s/ sound. Some may argue that the "c" is silent because you only hear the /s/ sound, but because "c" always makes an /s/ sound before an "e," it's not silent in scent.

Scent is not the only word to follow this spelling rule — but that's not to say that "sc" always makes a /s/ sound. You'll find this letter combination in lots of different English words with many different etymologies.

When the "sc" digraph comes before an "e" or an "i," as it does in scent, it typically makes a /s/ sound. These words typically have roots in the Old French or Greek languages. Words that have an "sc" digraph include:

discipline
scene
sciatic
science
scintillating
scion
scissors