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From 'hwhat' to 'what': Tracing a letter's disappearing act. Barkhouse.
Jan 30, 2024
Explore the rise and fall of the letter H with linguistics professor Kate Burridge and psychology professor Catherine McBride. They discuss debates over its name, the disappearing act of the letter H, its historical context and resurgence in English, the importance of letter sounds in learning to read, the evolution of the word 'what' and the disappearance of the 'H' sound, and family dialects.
17:54
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Quick takeaways
- The pronunciation of the letter H has evolved over time, with some people dropping the H sound at the beginning of words while others emphasize it, showing the social and historical implications of H pronunciation as a distinguishing factor between in-group and out-group members.
- The dropping of the H sound in the word 'what' and the various regional and generational differences in its pronunciation demonstrate the unconscious nature of pronunciation changes influenced by factors like geography, education level, and societal shifts, highlighting the significance of studying function words for understanding language evolution and societal perceptions.
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