Poll
Question:
Well, do you?
Option 1: Yes
votes: 17
Option 2: No
votes: 20
I was taught that the "t" is silent in the word "often", and I have always pronounced it that way. Almost nobody I know does this, but nobody ever thinks it's weird when I do it either. Pronouncing the "t"seems to have become the normal usage by sheer numbers. Is this one of those Upstate quirky things or what?
Dictionary.com lists my way first:
Quote
[aw-fuhn, of-uhn; awf-tuhn]
Yes.
Pronounce it "OFF-in". No idea if this is normal or not. I suppose I have a Philly accent, still, though I've deliberately tried to mask it and speak with a more neutral American accent.
Among the more fun Philly pronunciations:
coffee = KAWWF-e
water = WUDDUR
street = SCHTreet
berry = BURY
Philadelphia = FILL-uf-uyuh
I'm going to the beach = GWAN down-a-SHORE
OFF'en.
Sometimes. I grew up pronouncing it, but my high school drama teacher told us that was wrong.
The rest of the dictionary.com entry says two things about the word:
QuoteOften was pronounced with a t-sound until the 17th century, when a pronunciation without the /t/ came to predominate in the speech of the educated, in both North America and Great Britain, and the earlier pronunciation fell into disfavor. Common use of a spelling pronunciation has since restored the /t/[t] for many speakers, and today exist side by side. Although it is still sometimes criticized, often with a /t/[t] is now so widely heard from educated speakers that it has become fully standard once again.
QuoteDuring the 15th century English experienced a widespread loss of certain consonant sounds within consonant clusters, as the (d) in handsome and handkerchief, the (p) in consumption and raspberry, and the (t) in chestnut and often. In this way the consonant clusters were simplified and made easier to articulate. With the rise of public education and literacy and, consequently, people's awareness of spelling in the 19th century, sounds that had become silent sometimes were restored, as is the case with the t in often, which is now frequently pronounced. In other similar words, such as soften and listen, the t generally remains silent.
Of course. It is pretty soft though. More of a 'uh' than a t.
I was told it rhymed with "soften."
No.
Yes.
Quote from: charliebear on August 05, 2009, 11:41:34 AM
I was told it rhymed with "soften."
Do you pronounce the 't' in soften?
I pronounce it both ways, same as often.
voted "no" as I think mostly I don't though I know I sometimes do, since I've caught myself doing so. I think it depends on the beer intake/strength of original accent formula you have. At least in my case. It's easier to peg where I'm from, the more I drink. or so I've Off-ten heard. :p
Around here 't's are often dropped if they are at the end of the word, or maybe turned into a 'd' sound, like water would sound like wadah or wader. Cat would be Ca'. Kitty would be kiddy.
Probably Yes.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 05, 2009, 11:55:00 AM
Around here 't's are often dropped if they are at the end of the word, or maybe turned into a 'd' sound, like water would sound like wadah or wader. Cat would be Ca'. Kitty would be kiddy.
I always thought "water" in the Boston accent sounded like "WATTAH".
Quote from: Caliga on August 05, 2009, 12:03:05 PM
I always thought "water" in the Boston accent sounded like "WATTAH".
I always get the awfulness, that stems out of Boston and out of Worcester, confused.
So many unpronounced letters in English words, and so little time to pronounce them...
English is an odd, tough language. I don't know how you "ferriners" do it, learn it. ;) But then, all languages seem to have similar type oddities.
Off-ten!
I often do.
No, I'm not gay.
Quote from: KRonn on August 05, 2009, 12:57:36 PM
So many unpronounced letters in English words, and so little time to pronounce them...
English is an odd, tough language. I don't know how you "ferriners" do it, learn it. ;) But then, all languages seem to have similar type oddities.
The worst thing in English is you cannot be sure how a word is pronounced until you hear someone else do it. Other than that, it is very easy to learn. German with those three genders is much harder.
I don´t pronounce the 't'.
Quote from: Caliga on August 05, 2009, 12:03:05 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 05, 2009, 11:55:00 AM
Around here 't's are often dropped if they are at the end of the word, or maybe turned into a 'd' sound, like water would sound like wadah or wader. Cat would be Ca'. Kitty would be kiddy.
I always thought "water" in the Boston accent sounded like "WATTAH".
Thats Geordie.
I routinely laugh at non-native speakers who try to speak English.
Quote from: Iormlund on August 05, 2009, 01:59:11 PM
Quote from: KRonn on August 05, 2009, 12:57:36 PM
So many unpronounced letters in English words, and so little time to pronounce them...
English is an odd, tough language. I don't know how you "ferriners" do it, learn it. ;) But then, all languages seem to have similar type oddities.
The worst thing in English is you cannot be sure how a word is pronounced until you hear someone else do it. Other than that, it is very easy to learn. German with those three genders is much harder.
I don´t pronounce the 't'.
Yeah, that gender stuff in languages is crazy, or at least from an English speaker it takes me some getting used to. Should get rid of that stuff in any language where it exists. Be gender neutral instead!
Quote from: Tyr on August 05, 2009, 02:01:27 PM
Thats Geordie.
No, Geordie is the black dude from Reading Rainbow with wraparounds. :mad:
Quote from: The Brain on August 05, 2009, 02:05:04 PM
I routinely laugh at non-native speakers who try to speak English.
:weep:
The t should be silent.
Quote from: Monoriu on August 05, 2009, 10:14:26 PM
The t should be silent.
[seinfeld]actually it's just a low talker.[/seinfeld]
Yes.
Fuck you MIM. You started this shit, you end it.
Quote from: The Brain on August 06, 2009, 06:32:15 AM
Fuck you MIM. You started this shit, you end it.
Nah, garbon started it, this thread is legit.
Offen sounds wrong.
Yes
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 06, 2009, 09:15:28 AM
Offen sounds wrong.
I get this image of a German TV chef/death camp guard. "Ten you put ze Jew in ze offen for 90 minutes..."
No I do not.
I do not often pronounce the "t" in often no.
But do you often pronounce the 'r' in orphan?
Quote from: Valmy on August 06, 2009, 10:21:30 AM
I do not often pronounce the "t" in often no.
But do you often pronounce the 'r' in orphan?
Of course, even in Boston they wouldn't drop that r.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 06, 2009, 11:06:23 AM
Of course, even in Boston they wouldn't drop that r.
:huh: Sure they would. Orphan would be "AWF-in", same as Harvard becomes "HAH-vahd".
Quote from: Caliga on August 06, 2009, 11:08:15 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 06, 2009, 11:06:23 AM
Of course, even in Boston they wouldn't drop that r.
:huh: Sure they would. Orphan would be "AWF-in", same as Harvard becomes "HAH-vahd".
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 06, 2009, 11:20:22 AMYeah, I guess you're right.
The people with the heaviest Boston accents take all occurrences of 'r' out of the middle of words (leaving them at the beginning), and then attach them to the end of words randomly.
Example: "GET DA CAH, REBECCER!"
My mother, born and raised in New London, CT, has long amused us with her pronunciation of Florida. To her, it's FLAU-i-der. Mind you, she also calls the clothes washer the WAR-sher, and I'm her DOW-tuh not her daughter.
This after living in Des Moines for 45 years.
Quote from: Caliga on August 06, 2009, 11:08:15 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 06, 2009, 11:06:23 AM
Of course, even in Boston they wouldn't drop that r.
:huh: Sure they would. Orphan would be "AWF-in", same as Harvard becomes "HAH-vahd".
So would English people according to the Pirates of Penzance:
QuoteKing. Here we are again!
General. I ask you, have you ever known what it is to be an orphan?
King. Often!
General. Yes, orphan. Have you ever known what it is to be one?
King. I say, often.
Pirates. (disgusted) Often, often, often. (Turning away)
General. I don't think we quite understand one another. I ask you, have you ever known what it is to be an orphan, and you say "orphan". As I understand you, you are merely repeating the word "orphan" to show that you understand me.
King. I didn't repeat the word often.
General. Pardon me, you did indeed.
King. I only repeated it once.
General. True, but you repeated it.
King. But not often.
General. Stop! I think I see where we are getting confused. When you said "orphan", did you mean "orphan" – a person who has lost his parents, or "often", frequently?
King. Ah! I beg pardon – I see what you mean – frequently.
General. Ah! you said "often", frequently.
King. No, only once.
General. (irritated) Exactly – you said "often", frequently, only once.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 06, 2009, 11:20:22 AM
Quote from: Caliga on August 06, 2009, 11:08:15 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 06, 2009, 11:06:23 AM
Of course, even in Boston they wouldn't drop that r.
:huh: Sure they would. Orphan would be "AWF-in", same as Harvard becomes "HAH-vahd".
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Just like in "GET TO DA CHOPPAH!"