I’ve always pronounced the word “Southern” to rhyme with howthurn. I know most people say it like “suthurn” instead. I didn’t realize that the way I pronounce it is considered weird until recently!

  • tiredofsametab
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    128 days ago

    US American. I’ve lived overseas a long time and pronounce the ‘h’ in ‘herbs’ because, as Eddie Izzard once said, “it’s got a fucking ‘h’ in it”. I don’t know when I switched but my mom laughed at me when we had a call recently.

    One I only noticed a couple years ago: turmeric (was saying, and still frequently hear) ‘toomeric’.

    • @BilliamBoberts
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      8 days ago

      Do you also pronounce the ‘h’ in hour and honor?

      • @[email protected]
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        7 days ago

        Those two examples have an “o” after the “h”. Are there any other words starting “he” that Americans treat the “h” as silent?

        I lived in Philly for years and never noticed the way people say “erbs” but since returning to Australia I hear it constantly.

        Edit: I hear Americans say it constantly. No one in Australia says “erb”.

      • tiredofsametab
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        38 days ago

        Hno. I do say ‘historical’ rather than ‘istorical’, but that’s the only one I can think of in the global English-speaking world that has any number of adherants off the top of my head.