There are many words in English which have "ck" pronounced "k". Examples - black, block, clock, cricket, knickknack, chicken. Why is there a "c" preceding the "k" in these words?
Because spelling a word "blacc" or "blakk" would look dumb. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
No expert but is it an indication /reflection of the fact that the preceding vowel is a short one? I found this: https://pronuncian.com/podcasts/episode107 None of those "rules" are set in stone(the "rules" evolve along with the language they try to describe)
Plenty of answers here - too many to post: https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-pa...c-languages-Where-does-this-digraph-originate