Haitch

[Polidori]

I seem to hear this more and more. There's no such word as haitch. The eighth letter of the alphabet is called 'aitch'. It's not a question of region or opinion, it's just wrong. Aitch is in dictionaries. Haitch isn't.

[NotYoda]

Well, bang goes any discussion then

[Polidori]

I'm quite certain nobody here is too shy to say so if they disagree with me!

[BelleTheSheepdog]

It is haitch in Ireland and there is some historical justification for it (monks in Middle Ages maybe?)

I read this on the internet (!) but the details have sadly dropped out of my aged memory.

[Polidori]

Do English dictionaries in Ireland spell it that way?

[BelleTheSheepdog]

I don't know.

You could Google it.

[Partyfops]

DH and I always argue over this, I'm afraid that I am used to saying haitch and just don't see that I am hurting anyone with it ( although DD now says it!)

[LivLemler]

As a PP has said, it's haitch in Ireland. Not to mention many regions of Britain and I'm guessing a good chunk of the English speaking world.

[LivLemler]

As a PP has said, it's haitch in Ireland. Not to mention many regions of Britain and I'm guessing a good chunk of the English speaking world.

[Polidori]

It is not haitch in Ireland any more than it is haitch in England. A lot of people in Ireland pronounce it haitch. A lot of people in England pronounce it haitch. It is a common mistake in both countries.

[LivLemler]

No. Hibernian English is a recognised dialect. We say haitch. I'm no linguist but there have been plenty of threads on this before. They'll be easily found via advanced search I'm sure.

[BelleTheSheepdog]

I think we may as well end the thread now.

[Polidori]

Recognised by whom?

[allegretto]

It's not a mistake, it's a regional variation. Why do you think there is only one way of pronouncing things?

[Polidori]

(a) It isn't regional. People make this error everywhere.
(b) I don't think there is only one way of pronouncing things.

[flibberdee]

I agree. It's Aitch.

[Polidori]

Thank you!

[mineallmine]

For most English speakers, the name for the letter is pronounced as /ˈeɪtʃ/ and spelled 'aitch'[1] or occasionally 'eitch'. The pronunciation /ˈheɪtʃ/ and the associated spelling 'haitch' is often considered to be h-adding and is considered nonstandard in England.[2] It is, however, a feature of Hiberno-English[3] and other varieties of English, such as those of Malaysia, India, Newfoundland, and Singapore.[citation needed] In Northern Ireland, it is a shibboleth as Protestant schools teach aitch and Catholics haitch.[citation needed] In the Republic of Ireland, the letter h is generally pronounced as "haitch".

The perceived name of the letter affects the choice of indefinite article before initialisms beginning with H: for example "an H-bomb" or "a H-bomb". The pronunciation /ˈheɪtʃ/ may be a hypercorrection formed by analogy with the names of the other letters of the alphabet, most of which include the sound they represent.[4]

The haitch pronunciation of h has spread in England, being used by approximately 24% of English people born since 1982[5] and polls continue to show this pronunciation becoming more common among younger native speakers. Despite this increasing number, pronunciation without the /h/ sound is still considered to be standard in England, although the pronunciation with /h/ is also attested as a legitimate variant.[2]

[Polidori]

That massive cut and paste job is agreeing with me. The haitch pronunciation is widespread and increasing.
That doesn't make it right.

[SavoyCabbage]

There is a teacher in my dd's school called Mr H and its pronounced haitch so I can't even stop dd from saying it!

[mineallmine]

It is, however, a feature of Hiberno-English[3] and other varieties of English, such as those of Malaysia, India, Newfoundland, and Singapore.[citation needed] In Northern Ireland, it is a shibboleth as Protestant schools teach aitch and Catholics haitch.[citation needed] In the Republic of Ireland, the letter h is generally pronounced as "haitch".

More cutting and pasting but I'm too tired to type. I can be a right pedant myself but downing your gavel and insisting that everyone in Ireland is wrong in pronouncing it haitch is just annoying. You're not right about this, no matter what you think.

[Polidori]

"Generally pronounced" doesn't make it a real word. Look in a dictionary. Aitch is a word. Haitch isn't.
Loads of people say 'should of' too. Being widespread doesn't make it right.

[allegretto]

That doesn't make it right.

What does make it right? Because you seem to be suggesting that you decide.

[Polidori]

I'm suggesting no such thing. I've referred to the dictionary several times.

[allegretto]

The dictionary is always behind current usage. It will catch up!

[MarklahMarklah]

Makes me cringe. I understand dialect, I understand regional accents but the name of the letter H does not begin with one!