The notion of mute, which comes from the Latin word mutus , refers to those who cannot speak. This verb (to speak), meanwhile, refers to expressing words through the voice.
The organic impossibility of speaking is known as muteness. The mute individual suffers from some type of physical problem in an organ related to phonation, such as the larynx, the tongue or the vocal cords, to name a few possibilities. On certain occasions, however, muteness has psychological origins and is selective or temporary.
Suppose a child witnesses a tragic episode that causes emotional trauma. Faced with this situation, stop talking. This means that the little one becomes mute, regardless of having the physical capacities necessary to express themselves.
It should be noted that someone who is very quiet is also mentioned as mute, either temporarily or regularly. He who speaks little or who, in a certain situation, does not speak a word, remains silent.
Take the case of a television interview in which a journalist is conversing with a candidate for president. The politician assures that he is an honest man and takes the opportunity to emphatically deny the accusations of corruption that weigh on him. In the middle of the talk, the reporter surprises his interviewee by showing him a hidden recording where he is observed accepting a bribe. Faced with this, the subject cannot avoid being mute: the shock of being exposed prevents him from wielding any type of defense.
A silent letter, finally, has no sound. That happens with the letter H in our language.