This always bugged me. Ghoti could never be pronounced as fish. Sure, those letters can make those sounds in English, but only with the context of the other letters in their respective words changing their sound. I'll see myself out.
I wouldn't take it too seriously. It justs shows how unpredictable English can me. Sure, never starts a word but it's still difficult for non natives to know the pronunciation sometimes. Women is a special case, nothing to know from context and there is nothing special about ti, I give you that.
Thanks, I didn't know that the L isn't always silent. According to wiktionary, this seams to be a US vs UK thing and were I live and went to school, British English is taught as a second language.