Short can variably represent either or , as a result of the "foot–strut" split. Silent generally turns to its corresponding long version , which developed from Middle English . Variably by dialect and even word, the in this may drop ("rune" , "lute" ), causing a merger with ; in other cases, the coalesces with the preceding consonant ("issue" → ), meaning that the silent can affect the quality of a consonant much earlier in the word ("educate" (, "nature" ).