frank ryan   10 #1 Posted September 14, 2013 how do you pronounce it, where did you grow up and what class are you?  this is science!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Electerrific   14 #2 Posted September 14, 2013 Neither, it's ''Haych''! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
XXTickerXX Â Â 10 #3 Posted September 14, 2013 It all depends on who I`m talking to. Â To friends it`s Aitch and on the phone it`s Haitch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
JFKvsNixon   11 #4 Posted September 14, 2013 I've always pronounced it aitch, because that was the way I was taught in school, in fact one of my teachers was a stickler for it.  I grew up in Devon, and my parents are working class. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
frank ryan   10 #5 Posted September 14, 2013 I think it's odd that a northern working class pronunciation is 'haitch' when we abandon the H in most other words - eg 'I 'it it with an 'ammer' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Olive   10 #6 Posted September 14, 2013 I pronounce it as "aitch" and I'm a Yorkshire lass. I don't think I ever heard anyone pronounce it any other way apart from maybe Eliza Doolitle. Until about five years ago.  Now nearly everyone from teachers to TV voiceovers pop in an extra "H". It's weird how this has come about so quickly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Ghozer   112 #7 Posted September 14, 2013 ay, bee, cee, dee, eff, gee, haych, eye, jay, kay, ell, em, en, oh, pee, qoo, arr, ess, tee, you, vee, double you, ex, why, zed  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
poppet2 Â Â 13 #8 Posted September 14, 2013 It all depends where you are from. In France they don't pronounce the word at all as there just isn't a sound for it. The correct pronunciation is how the Queen pronounces all words. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
frank ryan   10 #9 Posted September 14, 2013 no poppet, there's no 'correct' pronunciations - language is fluid and changing and beautiful - RP like the queen's is a completely made up system devised when merchants started being richer than aristocrats. upper class speech is ugly, give me geordie or barnsley or dublin or kingston any day Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
poppet2   13 #10 Posted September 14, 2013 no poppet, there's no 'correct' pronunciations - language is fluid and changing and beautiful - RP like the queen's is a completely made up system devised when merchants started being richer than aristocrats. upper class speech is ugly, give me geordie or barnsley or dublin or kingston any day  Try explaining that to a foreigner or tourist who has learnt English. They don't teach Geordie or Scottish or Liverpudlian etc, but English. A tourist will tell you the further North you live, the more difficult it is to understand English. The sad fact is that many tourists can speak better English than those born and educated here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Electerrific   14 #11 Posted September 14, 2013 Try explaining that to a foreigner or tourist who has learnt English. They don't teach Geordie or Scottish or Liverpudlian etc, but English. A tourist will tell you the further North you live, the more difficult it is to understand English. The sad fact is that many tourists can speak better English than those born and educated here. Sadly, in my work experience, this seems to be very true!  Look at the London riots, those interviewed were barely able to be monosyllablic? And then there's Jeremy Kyle's show! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
frank ryan   10 #12 Posted September 14, 2013 I pronounce it as "aitch" and I'm a Yorkshire lass. I don't think I ever heard anyone pronounce it any other way apart from maybe Eliza Doolitle. Until about five years ago.  Now nearly everyone from teachers to TV voiceovers pop in an extra "H". It's weird how this has come about so quickly.  it's part of my daughter's english homework - how language changes can be wide and sudden -  mis -cheev-us to mis -chiv -us  har-ass to ha RASS  ga-rarj to garridge  etc - very interesting Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...