Tools and Equipment
Kiln
Traditionally pronounced KIL, the n silent (Webster's Dictionary of 1828); the spelling pronunciation KILN is now dominant everywhere except among many potters, who still drop the n.
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The insulated chamber that fires clay into ceramic, from ancient wood-fired updraft kilns and the climbing kilns of East Asia to the electric kiln that put stoneware temperatures in a garage. Firing is where the potter's work is finally decided, which gives kiln openings their enduring suspense.
Facts
Introduced When (Circa) OriginAs old as fired pottery; purpose-built kilns appear with the early ceramic traditions and open firing is older still 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some potters pronounce kiln without the n?
It is the older pronunciation; the n was originally silent and many potters still drop it by tradition.
Kiln was originally pronounced with a silent n, as recorded in Webster's Dictionary of 1828. The spelling pronunciation, sounding the n, has since become dominant almost everywhere, but many potters and ceramics artists still say it the traditional way, passed down from teacher to student like any other craft habit.
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