Why do Brits pronounce H as Haych?

Why do Brits pronounce H as Haych?

In Britain, H owes its name to the Normans, who brought their letter “hache” with them in 1066. Hache is the source of our word “hatchet”: probably because a lower-case H looks a lot like an axe. It has certainly caused a lot of trouble over the years.

How do you pronounce Haych?

In British English it is correctly “aych” (most people call it “aitch”), if you are pronouncing it on its own as a letter. “Haych” would be considered ill-educated. Both pronunciations are correct. The version with the ‘h’ sound is more common in the Midlands and North of England, and in Ireland.

Is it wrong to say Haitch?

Haitch is logical but not socially acceptable. Again history plays its part. In Australia the haitch pronunciation has been linked with Irish Catholics, the Marist Brothers in particular, although no real research has been done into this and it may well be hearsay or at best circumstantial.

Do Australians say Haitch?

‘Haitch’ (the thinking goes) has no place in proper Australian English: it’s a feature of some varieties of Irish English, was brought to Australia by Irish Catholic educators in the mid-19th and early-20th centuries, and serves as a marker of Irish Catholic education.

Why do people say Aitch?

The name aitch might be a sign of high education in some circles, but is itself an example of H-dropping. Deriving from medieval French hache or “axe” (hatchet and hashtag are relatives), it also arrived in English H-less (like humble and herb).

How do Irish people pronounce H?

haitch
The oddly named letter H is usually pronounced ‘aitch’ /eɪtʃ/ in British English, but in Ireland we tend to aspirate it as ‘haitch’ /heɪtʃ/. This haitching is a distinctive feature of Hiberno-English, one that may have originated as an a hypercorrection but is now the norm in most Irish dialects.

How do you pronounce the letter Z in Australia?

It was standard in American English by the 19th century, and it’s now so deeply engrained that many Americans are unaware of the British pronunciation. Australian and New Zealand English speakers usually say zed. Canadians say both.

Why do the British say Antony instead of Anthony?

This happened about the same time Shakespeare wrote Antony and Cleopatra, where the h-less spelling is preserved. Importantly, this change in spelling did not change the pronunciation in English. Everything was fine, everyone spelling it Anthony but pronouncing it Antony, until it crossed the pond.

What is the meaning of Anthony?

priceless one
Origin: The name Anthony comes from the Roman family name Antonius. Its meaning is debated, though some say it means “priceless one” or “highly praiseworthy.” Gender: Anthony is generally used as a boy’s name. However, feminine variations, such as Antonia and Antoinette, are common for girls. Pronunciation: ANTH-uh-nee.