How do you pronounce the letter H?

[inlawsimnotsure]

How do you pronounce the letter H? Like ‘ach’ or ‘hhach’?

I work in HR and my name begins with H so I have confidently been saying ‘ach’ my whole life, but all of my colleagues say ‘hhach’ so I am starting to doubt myself.

We are all largely from the same region.

It’s driving me a bit crazy!

Aitch. If you say haitch I'll assume you're thick.

Except haitch is correct in other dialects so it's you who is thick and a racist to boot. Well done!

It’s not correct in other dialects.

I guess it’s the most popular way to say it in Ireland but in England is it incorrect to say ‘haitch’ anywhere. People need to stop blaming ‘dialect’ for incorrect grammar.

So basically if enough people use the incorrect 'haitch' it becomes correct and anyone who says otherwise is a racist?

Only on Mumsnet eh!

If you’re Irish I will accept haitch. Otherwise you’re dead to me.

Pronunciation is nothing to do with grammar.

Many words are pronounced very differently in different areas or by different communities.

According to your logic, Delatron and lilypips, the vast majority of Scottish speakers using Scottish pronunciation are ‘wrong ‘ I’ll-educated etc.

You are being incredibly arrogant.

Bert: or Caribbean?

Haytch because I'm Irish. Everyday's a school day, I didn't know this was an Irish thing until today

So basically if enough people use the incorrect 'haitch' it becomes correct and anyone who says otherwise is a racist?

No. Haitch is correct in Hiberno-English. To insist otherwise is 100% racist yes. Not 'only on mumsnet' in real life. In another country, in the form of English spoken there, there are other rules. Insisting that your rules are correct and the rules in another country are wrong is racism when the two countries have the disgusting, imperialist past relationship that they have. So if you don't accept that by the rules of the English spoken in another country, haitch is correct, because it is, then yes, you are racist.

I guess it’s the most popular way to say it in Ireland but in England is it incorrect to say ‘haitch’ anywhere. People need to stop blaming ‘dialect’ for incorrect grammar.
Haitch is not 'the most popular' way to say it in Ireland. It is the correct pronunciation of the letter as officially taught in schools in the Hiberno-English dialect. Stop being so fucking patronising about the people of another nationality. People need to stop blaming their erroneous pedantry for their racism.

Jesus, MN so often feels like a sheltered, culturally ignorant place.

The baby name threads that snigger at common West African names, the dismissal of Irish and Caribbean pronunciation of H, and so on.

No. Haitch is correct in Hiberno-English. To insist otherwise is 100% racist yes. Not 'only on mumsnet' in real life. In another country, in the form of English spoken there, there are other rules. Insisting that your rules are correct and the rules in another country are wrong is racism when the two countries have the disgusting, imperialist past relationship that they have.

Let's just clarify here. I am no racist and merely asked if that was the case, based on other posts that have cropped up. I 100% accept what you say about other countries.

Aitch innit.

Is your colleague RC? Sis they attend an RC school?

Hairch is correct in Ireland, aitch is correct in England, in Scotland and NI it's aitch if you are protestant and haitch if you are RC (due to Irish nuns teaching in English, Scottish and NI schools).

Aitch is correct but falling out of fashion I fear. Don’t get me started on people who say Elaine as Eeeelaine.

It has been repeatedly explained on this thread that Haitch is the pronunciation in an Irish community and Caribbean.

If posters then continue to say that people who say Hatch are thick / uneducated, how would you categorise that?

Look up the status of nationality and ethnicity as protected characteristics in the Equalities Act.

OK, it has been adopted by many young S Londoners of all backgrounds and classes. Just like those of you cringing and teeth itching in this thread will have adopted many American pronunciations and usages in your language.

It is aitch but I say haitch

I feel I've been robbed of my education. So 'H' in Line of Duty, was 'aitch' afterall?

Irish Haytch here too,
mostly accent and region dependent(agree)

Or maybe aitch for people with notions

Aitch

I remember a friend who used to call the TV series Allo Allo, Hallo Hallo... 😂

Aitch.

I say haitch, I think because my mum is Irish and that's what I heard growing up.

How did that lad from Steps (showing my age here) pronounce his name?

God, there are some really unapologetic racists on this thread, it's been eye-opening. "I'll assume you're thick" and so on. I'll assume you're ignorant of the long history of Irish emigration to England, and the common minority pronunciation of haitch being one example of the influence of Hiberno-English on English 'as she is spoke' in the UK. Because if you're aware of that and still refuse to hire someone on the basis of how they pronounce H, then you're both a racist and a fucking idiot.

I am, however, laughing slightly hysterically at the idea of somebody pronouncing 'questionnaire' and so on very Frenchily in everyday life. Legend.

Generally haitch but like with many accent related things I go back and forth and will generally use whichever the person I’m talking to uses.

It is one of those class delineators much loved on MN.