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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:
ChristmasZombie · 30/04/2016 19:39

I trained myself out of haitch and now I say aitch. I've been told on more than one occasion that aitch is incorrect, though! When I teach Phonics I really over pronounce it: this letter is aaaaaaaaitch!

Flossiesmummy · 30/04/2016 19:45

Aitch is correct.

Original poster
NowSissyThatWalk · 30/04/2016 19:46

Well this has proven to be quite the divisive issue. Very proud of myself on this one I normally post utter shit

OP posts:
honeylulu · 30/04/2016 19:47

Aitch. Haitch is a bit faux middle class and wrong.
My son's primary school taught him "haitch" and we bicker about it. He says logically Haitch starts with the letter sound. I respond by saying "well, why don't we say raarr instead of ar and wubblewoo instead of double-u?"

DelphiniumBlue · 30/04/2016 19:48

It is aitch as far as I am concerned. But DH, who is a Northerner, says haitch.
I've noticed younger Southerners saying haitch, eg teachers at school in their twenties. 2 of my sons, both early 20s and Londoners, say aitch, because I have drummed it into them and they would not dare do otherwise. Most of their schoolfriends say haitch, but their university friends ( posher) say aitch.
So I reckon there are divides along the lines of age, class and north/ south.

beelover · 30/04/2016 19:51

Definitely aitch. I have a good friend who says haitch and it puts my teeth on edge.

wasonthelist · 30/04/2016 19:52

Definitely not a North/South thing - I'm from the Midlands (the horror) but my Dad was a Manc and my Ma is a Midlander - it was always aitch in our house - I really don't think it's regional thing (in England at least)

temporarilyjerry · 30/04/2016 19:53

I say aitch and teach my Year 2 class to say it that way too.

miakulpa · 30/04/2016 19:56

I remember a discussion on another forum about this and there was a religious divide in some areas. Seems to be down to the Irish 'haysh', but in some places saying haitch identifies you as Catholic. West of Scotland but not just there. Not something I've noticed myself but I remember a lot of other people being aware of it.

squoosh · 30/04/2016 19:56

Poor woman. If only she knew that she'd be elevated to the status of 'very good friend' if she would aitch. Wink

wigglesrock · 30/04/2016 19:57

wasonlist - yes how you said the letter h was used as a marker as to your religion when I was growing up in Belfast. If it couldn't be worked out from your name, where you lived, what school you went to - h was dropped into the conversation.

ParadiseCity · 30/04/2016 19:58

My colleague says Haitch and it makes me want to stab her. It is really really really annoying.

squoosh · 30/04/2016 20:00

Holy moly Paradise, ever thought of speaking to HR about your feelings? I'm sure they'd be interested.

vvviola · 30/04/2016 20:02

Ha ha squoosh re ER. I thought my poor (Kiwi) DH was the only one to get confused by that.

The first time he met my parents, my Mum said "do you watch ER (ee-ore)". DH asked me afterwards "is it usual in Ireland for adults to watch Winnie the Pooh?"

GrinGrin

(haitch for me too. Of course)

ParadiseCity · 30/04/2016 20:03

squoosh they might take away my stapler and I'd lose all the fun in my job Sad

squoosh · 30/04/2016 20:05

I think it's okay to lightly staple a colleague from time to time but probably best to avoid killing them.

squoosh · 30/04/2016 20:06

Ha vvviola! I'd love if he'd nodded along politely and told her that Tigger was his favourite character! Grin

Cockadoodledooo · 30/04/2016 20:12

Correctly Wink

Aitch. Would be a deal breaker in a relationship for me.

Mslg · 30/04/2016 20:12

Haitch for me as well - also Irish. Only people I know who say aitch are British

NadiaWadia · 30/04/2016 20:16

It should be aitch (unless you're from Ireland or, apparently, Singapore, where haitch is the accepted pronunciation). But 'haitch' seems to be creeping in more and more. When I was growing up, I was taught that if a British person said 'haitch' it was a sign of being uneducated and a bit thick and I find it hard to get out of this mindset really (sorry!). I know that's probably an irrational prejudice. But it's AITCH!

Original poster
NowSissyThatWalk · 30/04/2016 20:23

Actually really interesting about the religious divide, never knew that.

OP posts:
OvO · 30/04/2016 20:27

I was a bit eye rolly at how serious people get over haitch when I realised I hate the adding in of the letter R when there's none. I hate hearing draring instead of drawing or lor instead of law.

TimeToMuskUp · 30/04/2016 20:31

I work in a Reception class and always say "huh" because everything I do is phonetic.

If I was trying to be an adult I'd say "aitch".

lulucappuccino · 30/04/2016 20:36

Aitch! Of course!

A company I have to call regularly has an aitch in the name, but the receptionist always says "Haitch". I'm afraid I wince and judge her mightily!

Mslg · 30/04/2016 20:37

When I was growing up, I was taught that if a British person said 'haitch' it was a sign of being uneducated and a bit thick

Snobbiest thing I've read in ages Hmm