A: The word “often” can be pronounced with a silent “t” (the more common pronunciation) or with an audible “t.” How “correct” is the second pronunciation? That depends on the dictionary you consult. Both are correct, according to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.).
What percentage of people pronounce the T in often?
25% of people say it with “T”, and many people say both depending on how fast they are speaking.
Why T is silent in often?
A: The short answer is that the “t” in many words is silent because it’s too difficult or awkward to pronounce and has become assimilated into the surrounding consonants.
Do British pronounce t often?
‘Often’ Pronunciation UK
Some people pronounce the ‘t’ in the spelling so that it sounds like ‘off-ten’ /ˈɒf. tən/ . For others, the ‘t’ in the word is silent and it is pronounced as ‘off-en’ /ˈɒf.
Is T soften silent?
The t in “soften” is always pronounced. It is not silent. The t in “lastly” is pronounced.
Is the T in exactly silent?
Often. In English, there are many words that contain silent letters. This is one. It’s supposed to be “OFF-en.” The “t” is completely silent.
When did we start pronouncing the T in often?
In often, the came back via a spelling-influenced pronunciation in the 1600s, as both literacy and printing expanded rapidly in England.
Do you pronounce the L in salmon?
About that time, some people were rallying for words to reflect their Latin origins. Salmon was one of those words. In Latin, the word for fish is salmo, and the L is pronounced. Even though the English word spelling changed from samoun to salmon, the pronunciation stayed the same, making the L silent.
Do you pronounce the L in Almond?
More recent standard dictionaries say we can now properly pronounce “almond” either with or without the “l” sound. I consulted American Heritage (4th ed.), Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.), Webster’s New World College Dictionary (4th ed.), and the Random House Webster’s College Dictionary.
Do you pronounce the h in herb?
The British pronunciation is “Herbs” with an “H” while American pronunciation is “erbs” without the “H.” Quite simple, eh? Just like this simple vinaigrette recipe to go with your herb salad. “Herb” or “erb,” it’s really your choice.
How do Australians pronounce often?
And while “often” is traditionally pronounced “offen”, it is now commonly heard as “off-ten”.
How does the Queen pronounce scone?
People in the north of England and Scotland overwhelmingly used the “skon” pronunciation and those in the Midlands and London were significantly more likely to go with “skone”. Sources say the Queen sides with “skon”… perhaps because of her love for Balmoral.
Is T silent in buffet?
buffet (pronounced “ba-FEY”) = a meal where guests serve themselves from a table of food 2. buffet (pronounced “BUF-fet”) = to hit someone with wind or water Pronunciation 1 comes from the French word “bufet”, which has a silent T. Pronunciation 2 comes from the French word “buffeter”, which has a pronounced T.
Is the T silent in Christmas?
The word ‘Christmas. ‘ First, let’s point out that the T is silent. Christmas, Christmas. So it’s the first syllable that’s accented.
Is T silent in mortgage?
Very few words in the English language contain the consonant cluster –rtg-, and in only one of those words (and its derivatives) is the t silent: mortgage.
Is the T in winter Silent?
The /t/ has 4 different pronunciations: 1) a regular /t/ (take), 2) /t̬/ (like a ‘d,’ as in water), 3) glottal stop /ʔ/ (kitten) 4) become silent (winter).
Is T silent in valet?
“Valet” in English is pronounced with the final ‘t’ by people who had/have them, and without by everyone else.
Is T silent in robot?
The word by itself, none of the letters are silent. But in the case of the phrase “ Robot Cop “ the “ t “ is silent.
Is the first T in important silent?
If you look in a dictionary, it says the pronunciation is: important. Important, with two fully pronounced True T’s. Dictionaries haven’t really caught up when it comes to the habits of Americans and the pronunciation of the letter T. ‘Important’ is way over-pronounced.
How is salmon pronounced?
The pronunciation of salmon is often object of confusion. In English, the correct pronunciation of salmon is sam-un. The “l” in salmon is silent. However, in certain dialects and varieties of English salmon is occasionally pronounced with an “l”.
Is the B silent in limb?
B. Most silent b’s come at the ends of words and just after m: bomb, climb, comb, crumb, dumb, lamb, limb, numb, plumb, thumb, tomb.
