The range of English spelling

There is nothing innately funny or humorous about English spelling, though its vagaries have lent themselves to efforts in that way: Hints on Pronunciation for ForeignersI take it you already know of tough and bough and cough and dough?Others may stumble but not youOn hiccough, thorough, laugh and through.Beware of heard, a dreadful wordThat looks like beard, and sounds like bird… [from a letter by J. Bland published in the London Sunday Times, Jan. 3, 1965; cited by Chomsky (1970) and by Adams (1990)]