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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask my husband to pronounce his th

179 replies

Pumpkinallspice · 27/09/2025 19:10

My husband has always hade an "f" sound for his th's. Mumf for month, teef for teeth etc.

He is highly educated but it sounds terrible. His Dad who brought him up as a single parent uses the sound set so it's a learnt speech pattern.

We have twin 4 year olds who are now making the same speech sounds. Yes I'm a snob. I don't want them growing up with incorrect speech. Honestly I think how you speak affects how people perceive you.

I mentioned it to him and he was upset obviously. It goes without saying I don't want to upset him, but I really don't want the children growing up with the same speech style.

OP posts:
ConnieHeart · 28/09/2025 20:41

Watching Beat the Chasers, The Beast says "fousand". I still like him though 🤣

JellyCoffeeBean · 28/09/2025 20:46

I can’t stand the “TH” sounds as an “F”. But…. You married him! It’s a bit now! All you can do is correct the kids.

Bollihobs · 28/09/2025 20:51

AllTheChaos · 27/09/2025 19:13

Studies have shown that after the age of approximately 11 months, not only can children not learn new phonemes, they stop being able to hear them. So a child who grows up only hearing ‘fff’ rather than the ‘th’ sound, not only won’t be able to pronounce the ‘th’ sound, they won’t be able to hear the difference between that and ‘fff’. By all means encourage your children to use the ‘th’ sound (I happen to agree that it is an important one in terms of pronunciation), but don’t have a go at your husband about it as it’s quite possible that it is something that he cannot help.

If that's true how does anyone learn a foreign language at later than 11 months old? Especially if the language contains sounds not present in the mother tongue.

scoobysnaxx · 28/09/2025 22:31

AllTheChaos · 27/09/2025 19:13

Studies have shown that after the age of approximately 11 months, not only can children not learn new phonemes, they stop being able to hear them. So a child who grows up only hearing ‘fff’ rather than the ‘th’ sound, not only won’t be able to pronounce the ‘th’ sound, they won’t be able to hear the difference between that and ‘fff’. By all means encourage your children to use the ‘th’ sound (I happen to agree that it is an important one in terms of pronunciation), but don’t have a go at your husband about it as it’s quite possible that it is something that he cannot help.

Don’t listen to this it’s incorrect nonsense.

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