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Asked by Ashwini Last Modified
Answer 
The silent H in Spanish exists mainly due to historical and linguistic evolution. Here’s why:
1. Latin Influence – Many Spanish words with H come from Latin words with an initial F. Over time, the F softened and disappeared, but the H remained in writing. For example:
Farina (Latin) → Harina (Spanish) (flour)
Filia (Latin) → Hija (Spanish) (daughter)
2. Greek and Arabic Influence – Some words borrowed from Greek and Arabic kept the H, even though it was not pronounced in Spanish. For example:H
Hectárea (from Greek hektos)
Ojalá (from Arabic in shā’ Allāh)
3. Standardization by the Royal Spanish Academy – When Spanish spelling was standardized, the silent H was kept for historical and etymological reasons, even though it was no longer pronounced.
4. Differentiation in Writing – The H helps distinguish words that would otherwise be homophones, such as hola (hello) and ola (wave).
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