Aitch or haitch

[Colinjb]

So are you saying that throughout your formative years you were never once told how to say "H" correctly?

 

I was tought to pronounce 'Haitch' perfectly well thankyou.

 

Now with that knowledge please take your tirade against the minutae to the appropriate authorities. I need to get some bloody work done!

[EastleighSoulBoy]

and another pet hate is how some people say "off of".

 

From, why use two wods when one will suffice.

 

So, what about SCONE?

 

As in BONE or GONE?

[the stain]

"Aitch" is what I always say, being a bit of a traditionalist. I find "Haitch" sounds a bit childish. Like the speaker has felt compelled to put the letter described at the start of the word, in a learning-to-read stylee. Which would lead us to "Nen" and "Mem" and "Feff". Working in "Aitch-Arr" though, I hear "Haitch-Arr" from enough educated professional colleagues not to consider it 'thick' (Thick, btw? Thick? That's about as playground as insults come)

 

Also, Dune, "Gotten" is a perfectly acceptable conjugation of "Get", which has only relatively recently fallen into temporary disuse in this country. It was good enough for Dickens.

[EastleighSoulBoy]

Wods? Words it should be!

 

Let registered users edit their posts!

[Whitey Grandad]

So are you saying that throughout your formative years you were never once told how to say "H" correctly?

 

I was, but it may be different to yours.

[Colinjb]

From, why use two wods when one will suffice.

 

So, what about SCONE?

 

As in BONE or GONE?

 

As in bone, without doubt.

[dune]

From, why use two wods when one will suffice.

 

So, what about SCONE?

 

As in BONE or GONE?

 

I say scone as in bone, therefore this is the correct way.

[Colinjb]

I say scone as in bone, therefore this is the correct way.

 

 

Just because we agree, I change my stance to 'Gone.'

[dune]

Here's one for you all - plaque.

 

Plack or plark.

[Joensuu]

I think I've bee using both aitch and haitch in different contexts. The letter itself I'd pronounce as 'haitch', and I wouldn't even consider dropping the 'h' when it comes to pronouncing words, e.g. 'ospital, 'erbal, 'istorical all sound wrong to me without a leading 'h'. However, I wouldn't consider pronouncing NHS with a 'haitch', it only sounds right when you prounce it as 'aitch'.

 

It's obviously not ignorant to say 'haitch', it's just a generational transition. Language is fluid, and pronounciation frequently changes. Do any of you arguing that 'aitch' is the only correct pronounciation still rhyme 'village' with 'large'?

[dune]

It's obviously not ignorant to say 'haitch'

 

It obviously is because it's wrong.

[Whitey Grandad]

I say scone as in bone, therefore this is the correct way.

 

Ah, I think I may have been saying 'bone' wrong all my life.

[Whitey Grandad]

It obviously is because it's wrong.

 

I think you may have misunderstood the correct meaning of 'ignorant'.

[Joensuu]

It obviously is because it's wrong.

 

Then obviously, you don't comprehend the point I am making.

[Colinjb]

Then obviously, you don't comprehend the point I am making.

 

 

Here we go again!

[dune]

I think you may have misunderstood the correct meaning of 'ignorant'.

 

1. Lacking education or knowledge. 2. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake. 3. Unaware or uninformed

 

That was Colin prior to his education on this thread. So what is he now that he has been educated, yet still persists with his "haitch"?

[Colinjb]

1. Lacking education or knowledge. 2. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake. 3. Unaware or uninformed

 

That was Colin prior to his education on this thread. So what is he now that he has been educated, yet still persists with his "haitch"?

 

You cannot be wrong when your pronounciation is an 'accepted varient.'

[dune]

You cannot be wrong when your pronounciation is an 'accepted varient.'

 

Pronounciation.

 

Pro-noun-see-a-shon or Pro-nun-see-a-shon?

 

You have a chance to semi redeem yourself.

[Colinjb]

Pronounciation.

 

Pro-noun-see-a-shon or Pro-nun-see-a-shon?

 

You have a chance to semi redeem yourself.

 

I'm just going to leave you hanging on that one. Your opinion is irrelevant.

[Joensuu]

I assume Dune speaks in a way Chaucer would have considered to be frightfully antiquated?

[dune]

I'm just going to leave you hanging on that one. Your opinion is irrelevant.

 

A wise move. You wouldn't want to show yourself up twice in one day.

[Colinjb]

A wise move. You wouldn't want to show yourself up twice in one day.

 

Yes, because heavens forbid you would do the same.

[dune]

Yes, because heavens forbid you would do the same.

 

Did you mean heaven?

[Joensuu]

Did you mean heaven?

 

Did you mean 'eaven?

[Dimond Geezer]

I always find tha 'an otel' sounds somehat pretentious, don't you think? Here's something else for you: An orange was originally called 'a norange'.

 

Not only prententious, but aslo wrong, unless it is an acceptable variant though .

 

As for the orange, I saw that edition of QI too.

[Marsdinho]

Do's or does.

[Pancake]

Here's something else for you: An orange was originally called 'a norange'.

 

Bloody Stephen Fry. This is, of course, incorrect. It's true for 'nickname', 'newt' and some others, but "orange" was a borrowed word in Old English from the Old French/Saxon "orenge". True the Old French "orenge" came form the Sanskrit "narangah", but eh leading 'n' was dropped way before any use in English.

[Badger]

It was "aitch" in my schooldays.

 

"Haitch" was said by thicketts who nowadays would be going to 'Learning Skills'.

[dubai_phil]

Otel would be the french way of speaking. I suppose it goes back to the old norman-saxon perceived class differences, you know, cream/milk and that sort of thing.

 

So, what you are proposing in the debate is that by dropping the H in Haitch as us mega intelligent types what do like, this in fact means that we are, actually FRENCH!!!!

 

 

OMG that's it from now on it's HAITCH all the way

[notnowcato]

dune, just for the record. You are a bit of a willeh.

 

I disagree.

[Trader]

Never hear haitch on the BBC - now that HD is here.

 

They must teach their announcers properly.

 

Unlike certain other channels.

[badgerx16]

I like Herbs as ingredients for my food, not sure what 'erbs' are,- seem to be some American invention.

[Whitey Grandad]

Not only prententious, but aslo wrong, unless it is an acceptable variant though .

 

As for the orange, I saw that edition of QI too.

 

I predate Fry, who likes to come across as an intellectual, which he undoubtedly could be if he tried, but does sometimes show up his lack of understanding. I am led to believe that the word 'orange' derives from the fruit, via Arabic naranj from India: e.g. Hindi nārangī : and later, "a norange" became "an orange". The color was named from the fruit. The spanish is or course 'naranja'.

[Jones91]

I know its meant to be 'should have' but 'should of' sounds much more fluent in some sometences...

 

e.g. Saints should of won...

 

or shoulda

[Whitey Grandad]

I like Herbs as ingredients for my food, not sure what 'erbs' are,- seem to be some American invention.

 

In America the 'h' in 'herbs' is silent, like the 'p' in 'bath'.

[Whitey Grandad]

I know its meant to be 'should have' but 'should of' sounds much more fluent in some sometences...

 

e.g. Saints should of won...

 

or shoulda

'tis an auxiliary verb.

[norwaysaint]

Just wonder how many of those who insist there is only one correct pronunciation of words, still stick to these proper ways, or whether they've gone along with the majority in taking on an "incorrect" pronunciation.

 

It's part of the library's forthcoming Evolving English exhibition and aims to show how pronunciation is not a matter of right and wrong but merely fashion.

One exhibit is the BBC's guide to pronunciation from 1928. In it, it informs announcers that pristine rhymes with wine, respite is pronounced as if there were no e, combat is cumbat, finance was finn-ance. Even then some of the suggestions were becoming archaic. Not only is housewifery no longer pronounced huzzifry, it is almost entirely obsolete as a word.

[norwaysaint]

I know its meant to be 'should have' but 'should of' sounds much more fluent in some sometences...

 

e.g. Saints should of won...

 

or shoulda

 

The easy way to see this is ridiculous is just to take away the word "should".

 

"They should have won." or "They should of won."

 

"They have won." works

"They of won." doesn't.

[bridge too far]

^

 

Another one like this that annoys me is:

 

"I'm going to try AND do it". Surely it should be "I'm going to try TO do it".

 

Even dear old Auntie BBC gets this one wrong.

[Liquidshokk]

It always bugs me when people say "where was that to?"

 

Maybe you clever, well educated, proper talking people could clear up for me whether the use of "to" at the end is good use of English? Not necessary and sounds wrong to me... "where was that?" is suffice.

[scotty]

^

 

Another one like this that annoys me is:

 

"I'm going to try AND do it". Surely it should be "I'm going to try TO do it".

 

Even dear old Auntie BBC gets this one wrong.

 

It always bugs me when people say "where was that to?"

 

Maybe you clever, well educated, proper talking people could clear up for me whether the use of "to" at the end is good use of English? Not necessary and sounds wrong to me... "where was that?" is suffice.

 

the one amongst many that has irritated me beyond endurance lately is the number of people in a pub or restaurant saying to the waiter/barman "can I get" a beer, starter, etc...

 

those f*cking american tv series have a lot to answer for.

[bridge too far]

the one amongst many that has irritated me beyond endurance lately is the number of people in a pub or restaurant saying to the waiter/barman "can I get" a beer, starter, etc...

 

those f*cking american tv series have a lot to answer for.

 

When I was a little girl, if I said to my dad 'can I have an icecream / bicycle / whatever', he'd always reply 'yes, you CAN have an icecream, but whether you WILL or not depends on you asking properly'.

 

Oddly, I spent my day with my little granddaughter teaching her to say 'please may I have the play-doh, Nana' rather than 'I want play-doh, Nana get it'! They're never too young to learn IMO.

[bridge too far]

It always bugs me when people say "where was that to?"

 

Maybe you clever, well educated, proper talking people could clear up for me whether the use of "to" at the end is good use of English? Not necessary and sounds wrong to me... "where was that?" is suffice.

 

I think this is a Cornish saying originally. An ex-manager of mine used to say this and he was from Cornwall.

[Badger]

It always bugs me when people say "where was that to?"

Maybe you clever, well educated, proper talking people could clear up for me whether the use of "to" at the end is good use of English? Not necessary and sounds wrong to me... "where was that?" is suffice.

 

I think this is a Cornish saying originally. An ex-manager of mine used to say this and he was from Cornwall.

 

Think that expression is pure Bristol.

[chrisobee]

Think that expression is pure Bristol.

 

Am sure it hails from down West somewhere, I used to say it automatically when I first came to London so clearly a bad habit I picked up in Suffampton

[Ade]

I think to settle this debate on whether it is 'thick' to say 'haitch' or 'aitch', we should look a little further east and ask our fishy friends how they pronounce the letter H.

 

The would say 'haitch'. Therefore it is wrong and they are thick.

[Whitey Grandad]

So, what you are proposing in the debate is that by dropping the H in Haitch as us mega intelligent types what do like, this in fact means that we are, actually FRENCH!!!!

 

 

OMG that's it from now on it's HAITCH all the way

 

Not actually being french, but expressing a subconscious desire to be french.

[Whitey Grandad]

that's just language evolution though. american tv, and any tv means expressions become more global. language has developed through fiction for hundreds of years and will keep doing so that's the beauty of it. but pronounced a letter incorrectly is stupid.

 

although not as stupid as 99% of the conversations I hear everyday.

 

You should stop talking to yourself.

[benjii]

I know its meant to be 'should have' but 'should of' sounds much more fluent in some sometences...

 

e.g. Saints should of won...

 

or shoulda

 

There is never an excuse for this nonsensical abomination. Shame on you for even suggesting it has a whiff of legitimacy.

[benjii]

the one amongst many that has irritated me beyond endurance lately is the number of people in a pub or restaurant saying to the waiter/barman "can I get" a beer, starter, etc...

 

those f*cking american tv series have a lot to answer for.

 

Absolutely.

 

Morons.