The letter H

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by curmudgeon

What about Z? I pronounce it as zed not zee.

That's your problem.

[Tdol]

Zed

[rewboss]

"Zee" is the American English version, and is pronounced so by analogy with C, T, D, V, B and many others. Specifically, it is a voiced C.

"Zed" is the British pronunciation, and I believe many Canadians also pronounce it that way. This recalls the origin of the letter Z; namely, the Greek letter Zeta.

[MrPedantic]

I believe that in Northern Ireland, the pronunciation of H is related to your background: "haitch" generally = Catholic, "aitch", Protestant.

I hear "haitch" mostly from northern British people and people from the less leafy parts of big cities; "aitch", mostly from southern British people.

I agree that some people react adversely to the "haitch" pronunciation.

MrP

[curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

That's your problem.

I hate Zed Zed Top, their music is abysmal.

What about aluminum? whats that alll about?

[rewboss]

Originally Posted by curmudgeon

What about aluminum? whats that alll about?

It's what the discoverer of aluminum, British scientist Humphrey Davy, called it. But someone writing a letter to the Quarterly Review argued for "aluminium" because it had a more "classical sound". That became the standard spelling in both the US and Britain, but in the US they reverted back to the original "aluminum", with the American Chemical Society making it official in 1926.

[curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by MrPedantic

I believe that in Northern Ireland, the pronunciation of H is related to your background: "haitch" generally = Catholic, "aitch", Protestant.
I hear "haitch" mostly from northern British people and people from the less leafy parts of big cities; "aitch", mostly from southern British people.
I agree that some people react adversely to the "haitch" pronunciation.
MrP

I think its a matter of education. Aitch is educated and haitch is not.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by curmudgeon

I hate Zed Zed Top, their music is abysmal.

What about aluminum? whats that alll about?

That's about a metal that doesn't rhyme with condominium.

[curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

That's about a metal that doesn't rhyme with condominium.

or vice-versa

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by curmudgeon

or vice-versa

A condominium that doesn't rhyme with a metal?