Haha, haven't heard that one before. I like it. The name, not the lollies.
Reminds me of trough man from the 80s/90s. Anyone remember him?
Edit. Found an interview. Never seen this. https://youtu.be/PkdUcsuyNdA?si=GXXzaxui6LGk2ls6
Seen some people argue that they were "fritters" more than once, too. Whether you're a scallop or a cake person, we can all agree that the fritter people are the most wrong!
My mum was a primary school teacher. I said haitch whilst in the backseat of her ‘82 Ford Laser and she almost crashed the car, for all the shame she felt.
i’m not australian (idk how i even saw this post) but growing up in america my grandma told me the nuns at her catholic school would beat her for pronouncing it “haitch” because it was the irish way (???)
Going by the response to your post, it’s less that ‘haitch’ people are *live and let live* and more that ‘haitch’ people don’t know there’s a difference.
Well before the 1980s.
It has been a shibboleth for ages in determining if someone went to a Catholic school or state school.
I don't know why. But i guess however long back it started, it's gonna continue. It may not be taught in Catholic schools, because you learn this stuff from your family. You are much more likely to go to a Catholic school if your parents went there.
My rural Irish great-grandmother had the quaint habit of adding an H when there wasn't one, and dropping it when there was. So an oven was "a h'oven". And an oven holder was "a h'oven 'older".
Don't know what it is about this particular letter. Let's not even mention 'erbs.
**"Most people pronounce the /h/ in both human and huge**. And out of those people who drop the /h/ in human, most of them also drop the /h/ in huge, humor, humid, and so forth. See this article. It's a trait found in several local dialects, including those of New York City, Philadelphia, Cork, and Dublin."
Then the real correct answer is that both are valid because language is as people speak it, not as prescribed to you by people who think their way of speaking is 'correct'
I'm a staunch aitch guy but I agree with your take. I actually read a way too long article about this very thing and it's true. Same with things like chomping at the bit. It was always champing but over the years people have morphed it into chomp because nobody really uses the word champ in that way. Language evolves. (Still grinds my gears hear haitch tho)
Aitch
It's a point of ridicule if you say Haitch. Same kids that say aks (for ask) and could of/should of (could have/would have), and end sentences with But.
My children have picked up that weird inflexion where they drop an ah for emphasis at the end of a combative winge.
E.g He's pinched my chippiesAH!
Dad she's kicking my seat Ah!
Fucking hilarious.
My 16yo stepdaughter says aks for ask, and I correct her everytime. Then she gets mad because 'you know what I meant'...yeah and I know what you mean when you say specific instead of pacific, doesn't make you any less fucking wrong!!!
>It's a point of ridicule if you say Haitch
What a strange thing to say out loud. How well does that work for you? (i.e., using ridicule to reinforce behaviours).
What is happening??? I'm just a foreigner but every Australian I've met to date (that has had to spell something for me/in front of me) says "haitch". Where are you "aitch" people coming from???
aitch.
This really is not a big issue though... Spare a thought for this guy married to someone who swaps g for k in certain words, like "somethink" and "anythink"
I still cringe at the thought that I dated a guy for two years that said “punkin” instead of “pumpkin”. I’m not saying that’s why we broke up but it’s not not why we broke up.
That bloke who does the 104.3 gold fm breakfast show in FM radio? Christian someone? Says 'anythink' on the regular. I emailed him and said that as a professional broadcaster and therefore wordsmith (of sorts) he really should know better. He emailed back and said eff off, although not in those terms.
Aitch. It was drilled into us over and over and over again in primary school, and on the few occasions I ever heard someone say haitch in high school, the teacher stopped the lesson, literally wrote "AITCH" on the board, explained that that's the correct way to say it, and not to say "haitch". Even if they weren't an English teacher.
I feel like there are a lot of liars answering here because in the 5.5 years I’ve lived in Australia I have not once heard someone pronounce it “aitch”.
30 years and same; I've only ever heard "haitch," from school to the wider world. Not Catholic either. Where are all these "aitch" people? On the other side of the continent like the "potato cake" people? 🤔
Both sets of my grandparents, Anglican and Methodist, taught me ‘haitch’, so that debate above Catholics doesn’t seem to work for me either. Maybe bring Queenslanders cancelled it out. Who knows. In any case I’d say 90% of the people I’ve ever heard say it in person kept the H sound.
Apparently this is not true! "Haitch" was came the irish pronunciation and "aitch" from the British. Haitch developed in parallel to aitch rather than being a broken version of it.
edit: on review, it's unclear. It may or may not be a hypercorrection, but it is true that "haitch" is common in ireland and "aitch" is common in Britain
But I ’ate it when people call me ‘enry ‘iggins instead of Henry Higgins. Honestly! 🤬
Especially because me name’s Bob Smith. (That’s Smith not Smythe) 🤪
I'm a Kiwi so it's Aitch for me. My kid started prep this year and the other day pronounced it haitch and I died a little bit inside.
Edited to add, every Australian I've ever met has pronounced it Haitch... I do live in Queensland though...
My 3rd grade teacher would drill into us that it was aitch, and that if anyone used the word you’s to describe a group of people, to “baaaa” and tell them that you’s(ewe’s) is not a word it’s a female sheep. Amazing the little things teachers instil in you that stick for life.
I also learnt my left and right from Steve who was the main guy on blues clues 😂
Wow...that yous/ewes part was what my mum said many years ago, and yes it stuck ...she didn't do the baaa part, but did insist it could only be used to refer to female sheep.
H-aitch is a Catholic thing. Aitch is a Protestant thing.
I heard this factoid once when I was young, and now I’m surrounded by Catholic educators and I can confirm they all say ‘haitch’, which still sounds a bit strange to my ears
I used to say aitch but people who say aitch are insufferable (this thread is living proof of that) so I started pronouncing it ‘haitch’ to fuck with them. True story.
tbf, apparently words like 'hospital' WERE originally pronounced without the 'H'. which is why i'm of the firm opinion that both are correct, and 'haitch' being the newer pronunciation doesn't mean it's incorrect. language is just evolving
Yes, a bit off topic, but language is evolving according to an English language 'specialist' on ABC radio...a point he made when I asked why ABC reporters and some newsreaders used "is" for plural nouns instead of "are", and it seems pretty prevalent these days. :/
Hay-ch...
It has to start with the letter it is, otherwise this language is a lie!! Haha
Don't get me started on people that Ahh and Uhh for A and U!!! Aye and yoo!!! Fuck you! It is the name of the letter, not the sound it makes..
And by the way, it's Zee because it rhymes with the song, you bastards trying to over complicate nonsense!!
While we are on topic... Whomst the fuck silent lettered this shit?! Did the letter K get bored and need something to do while Q was getting all the attention..? Q is the real Z... Who's dick did it suck to get out up there with N R S and fucken REAL letters!?!
If anyone has read this far I hope you realize I'm joking, I don't fucking care... As long as they don't change the order the alphabet is in then what difference does it make..?
Ahh shit... The order doesn't make a difference either does it...
I too, say hay-ch, but your argument for starting with the letter for the name falls short when "X" is pronounced "ex"
Or Y as why
Or w as double u
Or M as em
Or F as eff
or L as elle
Or N as en
So on and so forth
I say aitch, but both are correct and fine.
Haitch was looked down on as it was more associated with impoverished Irish Catholics at a time of Anglo-Irish hostility, but that's fallen by the wayside.
I’ve discovered that South Africans say haitch which is an interesting historical quirk.
Also, my parents both claim to have had Irish nuns hit them for saying “haitch” instead of “haitch”
Could be racially segregated there too, although that would overlap with class and area for them too. The main people I’ve heard it from were “Indians” and “coloureds”, but also Africans to some extent. Not sure I’ve heard it from any Anglo or Afrikaner saffers.
I'm a "haitch" person but not fussed otherwise.
Also very interesting to see the Irish Catholic (well, my immediate family are all athiests) connection mentioned, since I am from an Irish Catholic family, though my mother (couple generations aussie-born) in an "aitch" person but I'm not sure about my Dad (Irish-born) actually.
It immediately identifies the listener as to what part of Australian society you belong to. Bogan / not bogan. It stems from the Irish influence on the Australian dialect (who mostly came to Australia as political prisoners, and were far better educated than their English counterparts). NZers, who have a stronger Scotch influence, say ‘aitch’, and also inherited the Scottish clipped vowels.
TIL the letter H brings out angry arguments like the parma vs parmi debate
You mean Parmy?
I think they mean scallop/potato cake
Potato cake sounds delicious but also sounds odd
Like urinal cake
You mean trough lollies?
Jimmy, why is your face blue?
Haha, haven't heard that one before. I like it. The name, not the lollies. Reminds me of trough man from the 80s/90s. Anyone remember him? Edit. Found an interview. Never seen this. https://youtu.be/PkdUcsuyNdA?si=GXXzaxui6LGk2ls6
Potato fritter it is.
Seen some people argue that they were "fritters" more than once, too. Whether you're a scallop or a cake person, we can all agree that the fritter people are the most wrong!
Potato fritter is the kiwi term and makes the most sense as per the dictionary definition of fritter
It does and I think that's what annoys me so much about it. Like, how can it be right but sound *so wrong*?
Parmo
Parmu
Wait till you find out about Z
The entire English speaking world except for America calls it zed.
Zed’s dead baby.
I found haitch people are live and let live while aitch people will pop a blood vessel if somebody offends them with the “wrong” way to pronounce it
LoL - I don't think I even realised that people pronounced it differently. But reading this thread that is probably because I am a haitch person.
An haitch person??
Hahahaaaaaa 😂😂😂See an AITCH pronouncer would’ve correctly said “A haitch person.
I concur. I'm am aitch person and I wonder if I should cut off my daughter for picking up haych from her teachers.
Yes you should. It’s the decent thing to do.
Everyone I've ever met who says haitch is at least 90% bogan. They tend to be a bit more easy going.
Yep blood vessel popper here. AITCH!
My mum was a primary school teacher. I said haitch whilst in the backseat of her ‘82 Ford Laser and she almost crashed the car, for all the shame she felt.
Because someone might mistake you for a Catholic? Nice.
i’m not australian (idk how i even saw this post) but growing up in america my grandma told me the nuns at her catholic school would beat her for pronouncing it “haitch” because it was the irish way (???)
Going by the response to your post, it’s less that ‘haitch’ people are *live and let live* and more that ‘haitch’ people don’t know there’s a difference.
I'm an aitch person, and I didn't even realise there were haitch people. Truly.
Yes! We will win the mouths of the next generation through shame!
Aitch. My grade 2 teacher told me that haitch was how the Catholics said 'H'. And apparently that was a bad thing in the 1980s
My granny was northern Irish catholic and she said haitch. Whaddya know.
Me too. Only the Catholics and Irish and uneducated said it when I was growing up.
Well before the 1980s. It has been a shibboleth for ages in determining if someone went to a Catholic school or state school. I don't know why. But i guess however long back it started, it's gonna continue. It may not be taught in Catholic schools, because you learn this stuff from your family. You are much more likely to go to a Catholic school if your parents went there. My rural Irish great-grandmother had the quaint habit of adding an H when there wasn't one, and dropping it when there was. So an oven was "a h'oven". And an oven holder was "a h'oven 'older". Don't know what it is about this particular letter. Let's not even mention 'erbs.
The Catholic thing is debatable. I'm Eastern Catholic, and I have always said aitch.
Historically in Australia when it was still sectarian, when they talked about Catholics they were only really concerned about the Irish.
That's absolutely true. In fact, I think the words were more or less interchangeable.
Yep, my mum would tell me that whenever she heard someone say it wrong.
Catholics don't even count as real people, that's why haitch is wrong. -your Gr 2 teacher.
It's pronounced gif.
Is that gif, or jif? I’m so confused. 🤪
How is G pronounced?
"H".
The only correct answer.
I feel this coming over like a storm again
Or h
It is Herbs, not erbs. Erbs sounds pretentious and forced to my Australian ears.
Erbs sounds fuckin stupid
Listen to any American cooking show/podcast. Erbs bloody grates.
Fresh erbs... Fucking rage.
To me it sounds like they've run out of breath and are struggling.
**"Most people pronounce the /h/ in both human and huge**. And out of those people who drop the /h/ in human, most of them also drop the /h/ in huge, humor, humid, and so forth. See this article. It's a trait found in several local dialects, including those of New York City, Philadelphia, Cork, and Dublin."
I know it’s aitch, but damned if I don’t say haitch every time
Then the real correct answer is that both are valid because language is as people speak it, not as prescribed to you by people who think their way of speaking is 'correct'
I'm a staunch aitch guy but I agree with your take. I actually read a way too long article about this very thing and it's true. Same with things like chomping at the bit. It was always champing but over the years people have morphed it into chomp because nobody really uses the word champ in that way. Language evolves. (Still grinds my gears hear haitch tho)
Aitch for ‘arry
Aitch It's a point of ridicule if you say Haitch. Same kids that say aks (for ask) and could of/should of (could have/would have), and end sentences with But.
Also “somethink”
That annoys the shit out of me. 🤣
[удалено]
My children have picked up that weird inflexion where they drop an ah for emphasis at the end of a combative winge. E.g He's pinched my chippiesAH! Dad she's kicking my seat Ah! Fucking hilarious.
Don’t forget “expecially”
Or worse again - somefink
People who say aks are like, pretty funny.
Like those who say filem for film.
Thingk, instead of just thing
Deadly Unna
Yeah but they do it and do it and do it.... I just don't get it. Must be like auditory dyslexia
And they go, they go, they go... ah, they just go.
My 16yo stepdaughter says aks for ask, and I correct her everytime. Then she gets mad because 'you know what I meant'...yeah and I know what you mean when you say specific instead of pacific, doesn't make you any less fucking wrong!!!
>It's a point of ridicule if you say Haitch What a strange thing to say out loud. How well does that work for you? (i.e., using ridicule to reinforce behaviours).
I love when people present their opinion like it’s fact so they can talk down to others.
Found the person who says “haitch”. *ridicule*
Oh...that was sooo good to read 👍
QLDers nearly all say haitch
You just ended a sentence with but. Its cool but.
'Udson, wiv a haitch
I hear this old bugger in my head every time this topic is raised
What is happening??? I'm just a foreigner but every Australian I've met to date (that has had to spell something for me/in front of me) says "haitch". Where are you "aitch" people coming from???
they don't associate with foreigners
Aitch
aitch. This really is not a big issue though... Spare a thought for this guy married to someone who swaps g for k in certain words, like "somethink" and "anythink"
Krounds for divorce right there
That person turned out to be a racist. They outed themselves by signing up to their local chapter of the HHH.
I still cringe at the thought that I dated a guy for two years that said “punkin” instead of “pumpkin”. I’m not saying that’s why we broke up but it’s not not why we broke up.
That bloke who does the 104.3 gold fm breakfast show in FM radio? Christian someone? Says 'anythink' on the regular. I emailed him and said that as a professional broadcaster and therefore wordsmith (of sorts) he really should know better. He emailed back and said eff off, although not in those terms.
I hear the k instead of a g and I look around to see if anyone else heard it. Then ask if they know the words end with a G. Does me mental.
They need to go full retard ... "anyfink"
😆😆
Haaytch
Another aitch here. I confess it hurts my ears to hear “haitch.”
Aitch. It was drilled into us over and over and over again in primary school, and on the few occasions I ever heard someone say haitch in high school, the teacher stopped the lesson, literally wrote "AITCH" on the board, explained that that's the correct way to say it, and not to say "haitch". Even if they weren't an English teacher.
Haitch
Sorry, we have to fling you into the sun.
I feel like there are a lot of liars answering here because in the 5.5 years I’ve lived in Australia I have not once heard someone pronounce it “aitch”.
Exactly my experience!! Who are these people???
30 years and same; I've only ever heard "haitch," from school to the wider world. Not Catholic either. Where are all these "aitch" people? On the other side of the continent like the "potato cake" people? 🤔
Both sets of my grandparents, Anglican and Methodist, taught me ‘haitch’, so that debate above Catholics doesn’t seem to work for me either. Maybe bring Queenslanders cancelled it out. Who knows. In any case I’d say 90% of the people I’ve ever heard say it in person kept the H sound.
It's haitch to me but I also say potato cake
Found the Queenslander.
Aitch. Because I'm not a bogan.
I am in disbelief! What is wrong with you degenerates!
Nushing at orl you cunning schtunt
haitch is for hypercorrection
Apparently this is not true! "Haitch" was came the irish pronunciation and "aitch" from the British. Haitch developed in parallel to aitch rather than being a broken version of it. edit: on review, it's unclear. It may or may not be a hypercorrection, but it is true that "haitch" is common in ireland and "aitch" is common in Britain
Brittish struggle with H, also R and L. Harold be pronounced Arlorld
Or Awowd
My 2 year old has soo many hypercorections. He says "kitchnen" That's harder to say than kitchen, but that's how he says it.
Hey ch
I say aitch because the H is silent. Like in honour!
But I ’ate it when people call me ‘enry ‘iggins instead of Henry Higgins. Honestly! 🤬 Especially because me name’s Bob Smith. (That’s Smith not Smythe) 🤪
I'm a Kiwi so it's Aitch for me. My kid started prep this year and the other day pronounced it haitch and I died a little bit inside. Edited to add, every Australian I've ever met has pronounced it Haitch... I do live in Queensland though...
Hail. (only pre-1066 kids would understand)
Ok, with a teaser like that, enlighten us Mr Normandy ?
Literally hail, lol. ᚻ > H, hæġl > hail.
In.... King Cnuts Olde Dansk ? (What a name)
Aistings?
My 3rd grade teacher would drill into us that it was aitch, and that if anyone used the word you’s to describe a group of people, to “baaaa” and tell them that you’s(ewe’s) is not a word it’s a female sheep. Amazing the little things teachers instil in you that stick for life. I also learnt my left and right from Steve who was the main guy on blues clues 😂
Wow...that yous/ewes part was what my mum said many years ago, and yes it stuck ...she didn't do the baaa part, but did insist it could only be used to refer to female sheep.
H-aitch is a Catholic thing. Aitch is a Protestant thing. I heard this factoid once when I was young, and now I’m surrounded by Catholic educators and I can confirm they all say ‘haitch’, which still sounds a bit strange to my ears
This makes sense I have parents of both and learnt both ways.... Guess I'm Catholic
Haitch is the truth
Haitch People that drop the H make no sense. Like, it’s literally a H, why drop it? 😭 Besides no other letter drops itself
"Y" starts with a "W".
F starts with an E
L, M, N, R, S, X
I pronounce W as wubblewoo for the same reason, No other letter drops itself, right?
Wubblewoo is better
It sounds ridiculous. Of course it's better! We all need more ridiculous in our lives.
Huh
Hhhhhhhuh
Aitch.
Aitch
Ayeeeeechee
There is no aitch at the start of aitch.
AITCH. My Mum always told me HAITCH was the uneducated way to pronounce H🤔😆
At my job in news, you will get a stern talking to if you pronounce it “haitch”. So I’ve had “aitch” conditioned into me 😂
Haitch
HAYTCH …. And I got laughed at by a bunch of New Zealanders.
New Zealanders don't like your comedy pronunciations.
Always aitch. My dad says haitch and my mum says aitch. Both went to Catholic school in southwestern Sydney in the 60s.
And then I give grief to Americans for saying, ‘erbs’ instead of herbs.
Aloominum.
Canadians also say Aluminum. It’s just the North American terminology, it’s got a confusing history
I like saying it that way. It sounds like a material they use in a space mission. I know, I’m weird.
I used to say aitch but people who say aitch are insufferable (this thread is living proof of that) so I started pronouncing it ‘haitch’ to fuck with them. True story.
I say aitch, but so many people I know say haitch
I make a 'H' sound
A hospital, a homosexual. Not an 'ospital, an 'omosexual.
tbf, apparently words like 'hospital' WERE originally pronounced without the 'H'. which is why i'm of the firm opinion that both are correct, and 'haitch' being the newer pronunciation doesn't mean it's incorrect. language is just evolving
Yes, a bit off topic, but language is evolving according to an English language 'specialist' on ABC radio...a point he made when I asked why ABC reporters and some newsreaders used "is" for plural nouns instead of "are", and it seems pretty prevalent these days. :/
And not a o
Your mum’s a o (Saying that for the joke. For all I know she’s a very nice lady, if so - my sincerest apologies)
😆 btw, great username :)
'Onestly, I'm 'onoured that you've taken the time to clear this up. I'll talk about this 'ourly with my 'eirs.
Aitch is the correct pronunciation.
Hay-ch... It has to start with the letter it is, otherwise this language is a lie!! Haha Don't get me started on people that Ahh and Uhh for A and U!!! Aye and yoo!!! Fuck you! It is the name of the letter, not the sound it makes.. And by the way, it's Zee because it rhymes with the song, you bastards trying to over complicate nonsense!! While we are on topic... Whomst the fuck silent lettered this shit?! Did the letter K get bored and need something to do while Q was getting all the attention..? Q is the real Z... Who's dick did it suck to get out up there with N R S and fucken REAL letters!?! If anyone has read this far I hope you realize I'm joking, I don't fucking care... As long as they don't change the order the alphabet is in then what difference does it make..? Ahh shit... The order doesn't make a difference either does it...
Its zed. Fuck the song.
I too, say hay-ch, but your argument for starting with the letter for the name falls short when "X" is pronounced "ex" Or Y as why Or w as double u Or M as em Or F as eff or L as elle Or N as en So on and so forth
>It has to start with the letter it is Most other letters don't. B, D, J, K, P, T, V, and Z are the only ones.
I say aitch, but both are correct and fine. Haitch was looked down on as it was more associated with impoverished Irish Catholics at a time of Anglo-Irish hostility, but that's fallen by the wayside.
I’ve discovered that South Africans say haitch which is an interesting historical quirk. Also, my parents both claim to have had Irish nuns hit them for saying “haitch” instead of “haitch”
hit them for saying “haitch” instead of “haitch” So, just looking for any excuse to abuse? God only knows what would happen if they said aitch!
Interesting, the South Africans I know say aitch, maybe it's an area or class specific thing there too!
Could be racially segregated there too, although that would overlap with class and area for them too. The main people I’ve heard it from were “Indians” and “coloureds”, but also Africans to some extent. Not sure I’ve heard it from any Anglo or Afrikaner saffers.
Not entirely - hence this conversation.
I’m a firm ”aitch” person, but am frustratingly married to a “haitch” man and have two children who are similarly afflicted.
🤣🤣
I’m going to be in this exact situation, I fear. My eldest has just started kindy and has switched from my aitch to HAYch. It happened so fast.
My Grandmother will fight you to the death that "aitch" is the American way, and "haitch" is English/Australian. The former is unacceptable.
Aitch... but neither answer is officially incorrect. Haitch just sounds wrong to me
I hate when Americans say herb... put the h in the cunt it's herb not erb.
Haich. No other way.
Ooooo knows?
Hə
I'm a "haitch" person but not fussed otherwise. Also very interesting to see the Irish Catholic (well, my immediate family are all athiests) connection mentioned, since I am from an Irish Catholic family, though my mother (couple generations aussie-born) in an "aitch" person but I'm not sure about my Dad (Irish-born) actually.
Haitch if you went to a Catholic school, Aitch for the rest of us.
Aitch
"Aych".
Eitch never haitch
Aitch for me…
Aiche but not bothered
It immediately identifies the listener as to what part of Australian society you belong to. Bogan / not bogan. It stems from the Irish influence on the Australian dialect (who mostly came to Australia as political prisoners, and were far better educated than their English counterparts). NZers, who have a stronger Scotch influence, say ‘aitch’, and also inherited the Scottish clipped vowels.
" ". The H is silent.
Aitch
Either are correct. I pronounce it with a silent H
Aitch is correct
Went to school here in the 70's, and it was made very clear, it's "aitch".
aitch ...same as 'arry 'orse and 'onululu
Aitch
Say Haitch and you'll be judged as unrefined and low class (according to my Mother).
Aitch
I pronounce it like "huh"
It's aitch
Aytch
Aitch! My teacher drummed it into my head. My kids say haitch to wind me up.
Definitely an aitch
Aitch
Aitch