So Lets Shaft Our Farmers.....
News2 mins ago
Haitch?
72 Answers
Heard on BBC London TV this morning:
“W HAITCH Smith” (for W H Smith).
There is no such word as HAITCH,
Or have they changed the language?
“W HAITCH Smith” (for W H Smith).
There is no such word as HAITCH,
Or have they changed the language?
Answers
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From the BBC web site here:
http://
Quote
British English dictionaries give aytch as the standard pronunciation for the letter H. However, the pronunciation haytch is also attested as a legitimate variant. We also do not ask broadcasters who naturally say haytch to change their pronunciation but if a broadcaster contacted to ask us, we would tell them that aytch is regarded as the standard pronunciation in British English, people can feel very strongly about this and this pronunciation is less likely to attract audience complaints.
Haytch is a standard pronunciation in Irish English and is increasingly being used by native English-speaking people all across the country, irrespective of geographical provenance or social standing. Polls have shown that the uptake of haytch by younger native speakers is on the rise. Schoolchildren repeatedly being told not to drop Hs may cause them to hyper-correct and insert them where they don't exist.
Jo Kim
BBC Pronunciation Unit
http://
Quote
British English dictionaries give aytch as the standard pronunciation for the letter H. However, the pronunciation haytch is also attested as a legitimate variant. We also do not ask broadcasters who naturally say haytch to change their pronunciation but if a broadcaster contacted to ask us, we would tell them that aytch is regarded as the standard pronunciation in British English, people can feel very strongly about this and this pronunciation is less likely to attract audience complaints.
Haytch is a standard pronunciation in Irish English and is increasingly being used by native English-speaking people all across the country, irrespective of geographical provenance or social standing. Polls have shown that the uptake of haytch by younger native speakers is on the rise. Schoolchildren repeatedly being told not to drop Hs may cause them to hyper-correct and insert them where they don't exist.
Jo Kim
BBC Pronunciation Unit
Join me in the slough of despond where I land so often when listening to R4 - supposedly a bastion of decent English. The article is interesting and depressing.
I'm thinking that a common understanding and usage of standard English is becoming ever more essential, because sections of society are drifting apart more and more and becoming unable to communicate with each other.
A case for English lessons in schools to concentrate more on the language content i.m.o.. (Ex-English teacher who started when grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary lessons were taught every week as the norm - as well as literature, comprehension and all the other bits.)
I'm thinking that a common understanding and usage of standard English is becoming ever more essential, because sections of society are drifting apart more and more and becoming unable to communicate with each other.
A case for English lessons in schools to concentrate more on the language content i.m.o.. (Ex-English teacher who started when grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary lessons were taught every week as the norm - as well as literature, comprehension and all the other bits.)
