Saying haitch.

[Chunkymenrock]

I almost never hear anyone saying aitch anymore. It's so infuriating! There is no such word as haitch. Am I alone in feeling so irritated? 😕

That literally made me snort Voyage, don't know how you look yourself in the mirror

@Geamhradh
Do you mean Prince William has a regional accent? What are the pronunciations that disqualify him as an RP speaker?
I’m not sure it’s right to talk about the Queen dumbing down. The evolution of her accent seems to coincide exactly with the era of the upper classes trying to appear smart and therefore deserving of their wealth.

[quote TheBraveLittleTailor]@Geamhradh
Do you mean Prince William has a regional accent? What are the pronunciations that disqualify him as an RP speaker?
I’m not sure it’s right to talk about the Queen dumbing down. The evolution of her accent seems to coincide exactly with the era of the upper classes trying to appear smart and therefore deserving of their wealth.[/quote]
Regional in the sense that if you heard a recording of his voice without knowing it was him, you'd have him down as possibly SE standard, pretty middle class, possibly minor public school. If you listen to Charles' voice in isolation, you can hear the shift.
There was something in a journal a few years ago about Harry sounding posher than William as Harry has mingled generally with posher people while William has done a lot more meeting and greeting of the plebs.

dialectblog.com/2011/05/01/william-and-kates-accent/ From some years ago, but includes examples. (I don't agree that Kate sounds posher than William, but I haven't heard her voice since those earlier interviews)

www.english.com/blog/queens-english/ That's an article about the Queen.

[quote TheBraveLittleTailor]@Geamhradh
Do you mean Prince William has a regional accent? What are the pronunciations that disqualify him as an RP speaker?
I’m not sure it’s right to talk about the Queen dumbing down. The evolution of her accent seems to coincide exactly with the era of the upper classes trying to appear smart and therefore deserving of their wealth.[/quote]
RP was originally a ‘regional accent’.

I pronounce it 'aitch' but I also know lots of people that pronounce it 'haitch'. I'd say more people I know actually say 'haitch' so they probably think I'm wrong!

Most people seem to say N 'aitch' S, though, even if the normally use 'haitch'. Which I think is kind of strange.

I'm reminded of a Jimmy Carr gig when he said he doesn't have an accent. This is how the words should sound when they are pronounced correctly.

@ThirtyCharacterUsernamesOnly30 - I'd say more people I know actually say 'haitch' so they probably think I'm wrong!

They probably don't. The only people who seem to get exercised by the Haitch vs Aitch thing are aitch sayers. Although haitch sayers do get narked when told they are wrong, as opposed to just using a different variant of English.

“dialectblog.com/2011/05/01/william-and-kates-accent/ From some years ago, but includes examples. (I don't agree that Kate sounds posher than William, but I haven't heard her voice since those earlier interviews)

www.english.com/blog/queens-english/ That's an article about the Queen.”

Thanks @Geamhradh. I have looked at them both including the comments on Will and Kate.

@Steeple I may just revert to saying ‘posh southern’. Every definition of RP I’ve seen has included the word ‘educated’.
I suppose by RP I mean ‘the accent of the people upon whom they base the pronunciations in the Oxford English Dictionary’.

When something is labeled 'regional' there is clearly an unexamined assumption that the central place is the locus of correctness and the region has diverged from that in some way.

@Mathanxiety
How is it clear that it’s unexamined? Power remains where it is however much we examine it.

H&M - Clothing
HSBC - Bank
DHSS - Social

Aitch or Haitch ?

@butterpuffed

H&M - Clothing HSBC - Bank DHSS - Social

Aitch or Haitch ?

Either.

@butterpuffed
I took that to mean what do we as individuals say. In which case, it might vary for haitch sayers, but not for me.
I’ve lost the comment where someone says it’s always N aitch S. I had wondered why I hadn’t noticed a haitch in there. I’ve been trying to work out whether I drop aitches after an en in phrases like ‘one hundred’ but I’m not sure I do so I don’t know why everyone says NHS with an aitch.

I don’t know why everyone says NHS with an aitch.

I would say it with a haitch.

I live in a world where Haitch is used more than Aitch, but even for me N Haitch S is quite difficult to say?

@RunningStrong

I live in a world where Haitch is used more than Aitch, but even for me N Haitch S is quite difficult to say?

I suppose it's just what you're accustomed to hearing?

I live in a place (Ireland) where haitch is always said. I say N haitch S, and have never even considered an alternative pronunciation. But then I mostly see NHS written, I hear it spoken much more rarely (it's the HSE here).

As in Haitch SE

I don't really get the whole 'I was taught this at school, and was grew up with it, so my version is clearly correct' set in stone viewpoint. Things change over time, and I doubt anyone is getting confused over what letter you are talking about whichever way it's pronounced. I mean, you would also have been taught there are nine planets in the solar system, and any text book would have said so too. This was 'correct', but things move on, and it's not so now really.

No one says haitch.

@thinkfast

No one says haitch.

😀😀😀

@thinkfast

No one says haitch.

I don't but loads do

'H' should be banned regardless of whether it's 'aitch' or 'haitch' ! It can get very confusing ....

An honest man
A horrific time
A/An hotel

And don't get me started on 'h' in words which include 'ough'

Thought
Through
Cough
Rough
Thorough
Bough
Although

All different pronunciations , I'm sure there are more . I admire people from other countries who master our language !!

@butterpuffed

'H' should be banned regardless of whether it's 'aitch' or 'haitch' ! It can get very confusing ....

An honest man
A horrific time
A/An hotel

And don't get me started on 'h' in words which include 'ough'

Thought
Through
Cough
Rough
Thorough
Bough
Although

All different pronunciations , I'm sure there are more . I admire people from other countries who master our language !!

I've got a list of about 17 -ough words somewhere. I use it as punishment 😂