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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you how you say the letter 'H'???

245 replies

NowSissyThatWalk · 30/04/2016 18:24

Okay.
So this may have been done to death, but I am a woman close to the edge.
I pronounce the letter H as 'Aitch', not
pronouncing any 'H' sound at the start.
I have always been told this is the 'right' way to pronounce it, and so it's stuck.
But I seem to never hear anyone ever saying it like this and instead pronounce the 'H', as 'Haitch'.
I can't take much more of it. My DP says 'Haitch' and corrects me every time I don't.
I should LTB shouldn't I????

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 30/04/2016 18:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mollie123 · 30/04/2016 18:26

of course it is 'Aitch' Smile I am with you.

AntsMarching · 30/04/2016 18:26

It's "aitch". My DH says the same and it makes my skin crawl. The dcs are being taught to say it correctly, once I'd proved to him that "haitch" was wrong.

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/04/2016 18:27

It's "aitch"

haitch really annoys me Blush I correct the kids but dp still does it.

I don't say anything to peope though as it's my problem not theirs

whitehandledkitchenknife · 30/04/2016 18:28

Definitely 'aitch'. My DH also says 'haitch'. Annoys the bejeezus out of me.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 30/04/2016 18:29

aitch

Cathead · 30/04/2016 18:29

Haitch

LindyHemming · 30/04/2016 18:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

leeds84 · 30/04/2016 18:30

Aitch. No discussion.

Fibbertigibbet · 30/04/2016 18:30

Aitch. Haitch is an accepted, but not the original, pronunciation. Still annoys me, though!

Original poster
NowSissyThatWalk · 30/04/2016 18:30

Oh thank the pedant Jesus, I am validated.
My sister has it worse as she's a nurse and is constantly surrounded by fools people saying 'Haitch C A' (health care assistant')
It's these sort of things that mean the N AITCH S is crumbling. Wink

OP posts:
AntsMarching · 30/04/2016 18:30

Aitch

Lykke1000 · 30/04/2016 18:33

just listen to the BBC and try to catch someone saying Haitch.. and let us know if you hear it.

and just in case: an apostrophe makes words possesive, not plural!

Original poster
NowSissyThatWalk · 30/04/2016 18:34

Thanks for the article Euph, seems one of those things where there used to be a very clear pronunciation but not so much now.
Still makes my teeth hurt.

OP posts:
wasonthelist · 30/04/2016 18:38

just listen to the BBC and try to catch someone saying Haitch.. and let us know if you hear it.

If you listen to BBC R5 as much as I do, you'll hear Haitch a lot. Mark Mardell - former defence correspondent on BBC radio used to say it - noticeable because of reporting about HMS whatever.

I pronounce it aitch - but we're a dying breed.

Danglyweed · 30/04/2016 18:38

Ah ffs nowsissy now im sat like a twat saying it over and over, now. Dd5 has piped up about how her teacher says it Angry im fairly certain I say aitch but I've recently got a false front tooth so phonics really aint my strong point atm Grin

Original poster
NowSissyThatWalk · 30/04/2016 18:39

If you listen to BBC R5 as much as I do, you'll hear Haitch a lot. **
**
This is just awful.

OP posts:
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/04/2016 18:39

Aitch

Sallygoroundthemoon · 30/04/2016 18:39

Aitch. Haitch is very irritating.

wasonthelist · 30/04/2016 18:39

Sorry, not Mark Mardell - mixed him up with someone else.

chunkymum1 · 30/04/2016 18:43

Best way to deal with this is to find a dictionary and it will have aitch included in it as a word. I had to do this with DH as he frequently accused me of dropping my aitches when I pronounced it correctly. It was either that or leaving him.

And before anyone says it yes, I am an insufferably pedantic arse and slowly turning DH the same way. Sorry world

MaudGonneMad · 30/04/2016 18:46

'Haitch' is a feature of many dialects. It's not wrong, unless you think anything other than RP is wrong.

TyrionLannistersShadow · 30/04/2016 18:47

Haitch here but I'm Irish ;) . I don't know anyone who says aitch, to me that's a British thing!

OvO · 30/04/2016 18:49

I say haitch. I know it's aitch.

Clearly haitch is what I heard growing up and it's difficult to change. I don't plan on making an effort to change as only twats correct your pronunciation.

Obv you can complain on MN about it without being a twat. Grin But in RL it's twatty.