Pronunciation

[Harry-Wragg]

Why do the English have difficulty with the letter 'H' ? eg Wales is pronounced the same as whales, when is wen and what is wot. The word 'because' is pronounced 'bekizz' by tv people - are youse aw right doon there ?

[zzxxee]

To have such a vast, and varied dialect and accent, for a country as small as the United Kingdom, makes us unique as a country, in my opinion.

[cazzz1975]

I like saying "innit"

then sometimes after listening to someone and agreeing with them I say "innnnnnit" in a long drawl whist nodding.

[cazzz1975]

*whilst

[squarebear]

Is that hWhilst cazz? ;-)

[cazzz1975]

innnnit ;) (nods)

[Harry-Wragg]

The Welsh still abhor you - or should that be the Whelsh abor you ? - Stay cool - you are very nice people - onest

[cazzz1975]

have you asked all the welsh people?

[Mick-Talbot]

you mean, the welch people adore us, shirley?

[pa___ul3]

maybe he's just been watching Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels with 'Atchet 'Arry.
To be fair, broad scousers really annoy me when they say "A 'otel" with a really forced glottal stop. It sounds horrible.

[zzxxee]

Love all my family in wales (my dads welsh)
that say "theres lovely" after everything !!!!!

[Ankou]

innit is common.
isnit is much more civilised, hwherever you come from.

[ABerrant]

In Old English 'wh' was written 'hw' and the aspirated sound continued to be spoken for centuries after the written letters were switched ...
hwen
hwy
hwich
etc.

In many dialects of English the pronunciation of 'wh' has merged with 'w', a process known as the "wine-whine merger".

http://en.wikipedia.o..._wh#Wine-whine_merger

[starone]

I'm getting a bit confused here, do you mean Welsh Wales or Somerset Wells? How can you tell which is which when you pronounce these? Or should that have been hwich is hwich hwen. O b..... I've got that wrong for a start. As hotel is a French word should it be Anglicised or pronounced 'otel?

[Zeuhl]

Wales is pronounced <<weylz>>

Whales is pronounced <<hweylz>>
.

[squarebear]

Surely nobody pronounces whales as "hweylz"?

[ttfn]

Oh dear - did 'arry have his rag out today ? I enjoy immensely watching great English actors in films - some of their diction is a master class.

[boxtops]

don't use the BBC newsreaders as your yardstick, I am fed up with them talking about the Pri Minister!

[AllThingsTrivial]

wales/whales is something found in the ocean, big, and can have people in... yea,how r we meant to no the difference? im with u harry-wragg, though i am english xD

[ladybirder]

And don't you just want to kill people that say 'everythink' and 'nothink' including newreaders.

[ClareA]

I'm with mamyalynne here, on 'parliament' and 'government'. Also, 'GuilDford', not 'Gilford' (the place name).
There was an English Civil War drama series some years ago, throughout which 'parliament' was pronounced 'parleyment'. Someone told me that was authentic for C17th, but I wasn't so sure.