The Teacher’s Life

The Struggle with H

I Ate You: The enigma of the H and its correct pronunciation in English

As an English teacher, I always say that the smallest detail in English matters a lot, such as correctly pronouncing a very unassuming letter like the H. Dropping it or putting it in where it ought not to be are both crimes that can lead to unsavory consequences. For one thing, frequent usage can call attention to itself and distract the listener from the real message. Misusing the H sound can also drastically change the word you meant to use. You might say, for instance, “I ate apples,” when what you truly meant to say was “I hate apples.” The listener would then assume that you either love apples or don’t mind eating apples at all, and ultimately, may offer more apples for consumption. Either way, you’d face barriers to effective communication.

Speakers of romance languages, like Spanish speakers, are prominently notorious about this. Not all Spanish speakers may have the same problem with pronunciation, as this would depend on their area and how proficient they are in English. However, the struggles with the pronunciation of H in English are common and have often become fossilized. Correcting this may make all…