Which origin does the sound combination 'kn' (as in "knife") belong to?

The sound combination 'kn', as seen in words like "knife," is rooted in Anglo-Saxon, also known as Old English. This combination reflects the historical linguistic influences in English, where the 'k' is silent and the 'n' is pronounced.

During the Old English period, many words with this consonant cluster referred to tools and parts of daily life, reflecting the terms used by the Anglo-Saxon communities. The inclusion of the 'k' before the 'n' was a characteristic of the Germanic language family, from which Old English descends.

In contrast, the other options involve languages that do not feature this specific sound combination in the same way. Latin and Greek, while they heavily impacted English vocabulary, do not typically use 'kn'. Similarly, French, which introduced many words into English following the Norman Conquest, does not exhibit this sound structure, focusing instead on different phonetic conventions. Thus, the association of 'kn' with Anglo-Saxon accurately describes its origins and usage in the English language.