[General] How to pronounce the 'h' in 'an historic'

[Olympian]

Hello,

How to pronounce the 'h' in 'an historic'?

At first I thought 'an historic' is wrong, but I found this article which concludes that:
a. both 'a historic' and 'an historic' are used and acceptable
b. 'an historic' is on the decline in both AmE and BrE

I came across a clip of Alex Trebek (5 sec) introducing IBM's Watson computer against human competitors in Jeopardy. I think he is saying 'an historic' with the 'h' sound. I am assuming that since he is a famous TV host, he must be right. I was expecting either 'a historic' or 'an historic' (with no 'h' sound).

Thank you

 

[Rover_KE]

The h should be aspirated.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In AmE we use a distinct "h" sound. Therefore, we use "a historic".

 

[Tdol]

Many people say an historic and aspirate- they think it is some sort of elevated style. However, it isn't. If you say an historic, the h should be silent. The old silent h in hotel and historic is disappearing, leaving this form, which strikes me as ugly and unnecessary. Pronouncing the h and using an is like those people who think that between you and I is a posh language form IMO.

 

[Raymott]

I say "an [h]istoric hotel" without the [h] sound in 'historic' and with [h] in 'hotel'. I find it rolls off the tongue better.

 

[emsr2d2]

Many years ago, the BBC newscasters used what was considered to be absolutely correct English. If you listen to broadcasts from a few decades ago, you will find that they always said "an (h)istoric" and "an (h)otel", without sounding the "h" at all. These days, it's very rare for anyone to do so. We almost always hear/use "a historic" and "a hotel" with a clear "h" sound at the beginning of both.

 

[Raymott]

It seems that "absolutely correct English" used to pronounce most French-derived words like "historic, hotel, honour" without the [h]. Some Latinate words don't drop the 'h' either - humour, human ...

I can't think of any Anglo-Saxon words that drop the 'h' in good English - horse, house, hack, hick, him, her, hat, happy. That might be useful for some learners.

 

[Barb_D]

In AmE we use a distinct "h" sound. Therefore, we use "a historic".

I'm American and I say "an 'istoric."

 

[Olympian]

Thank you all for your responses. English is hard to learn for foreigners. These variations make it even harder. By the way, can I use the word 'idiosyncrasies' here instead of 'variations', or does the word 'idiosyncrasies' only applies to persons?

I have another word starting with 'h'. The freedictionary says 'herb' can be with or without 'h'. (ûrb, hûrb)
So I take it that it can be either 'a herb' or 'an herb'?

The name 'Herb' (short for 'Herbert') is with an 'h', right?

Thank you again

 

[Barb_D]

Americans do say the h in herb. I believe our UK friends do not.

edit: brain cramp. I absolutely meant this the other way around!

 

[emsr2d2]

That's the wrong way round from my experience, Barb. In BrE, we always say "herb". I have mentioned on this forum before that on my first trip to America, I enjoyed a confusing conversation with a waitress who was asking me (repeatedly) if I wanted "erb toast". I had no idea what she was talking about and no matter how many times I got her to repeat it I couldn't work out what she meant. Eventually, she showed me the dish on someone else's table! "Ah", I said, "Herb toast"! At least I then knew what it was even though it's not something that appears on a menu in the UK. We have "garlic bread" in Italian restaurants, which looks similar but is flavoured with garlic butter with some herbs in but the overriding flavour is garlic.

 

[Olympian]

Many people say an historic and aspirate- they think it is some sort of elevated style. However, it isn't. If you say an historic, the h should be silent. The old silent h in hotel and historic is disappearing, leaving this form, which strikes me as ugly and unnecessary. Pronouncing the h and using an is like those people who think that between you and I is a posh language form IMO.

Thank you Tdol. I think I will just say it as 'a historic'. If I copy Alex Trebek, people may think I think I am speaking some elevated style. Having an accent is bad enough; I don't want to appear supercilious as well.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I'm American and I say "an 'istoric."

In my experience, you are in a small minority.

 

[Barb_D]

That's the wrong way round from my experience, Barb.

Absolutely. Brain cramp.

 

[Barb_D]

In my experience, you are in a small minority.

I do not believe the minority is that small.

 

[MikeNewYork]

But you understand that it is a minority. I don't know a single American that says "an 'istoric".

 

[N Senbei]

CNN anchor Erin Burnett says “an istoric.”
http://vocaroo.com/i/s1jb4RCZ0JZN

 

[MikeNewYork]

That's one.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello,

How to pronounce the 'h' in 'an historic'?

At first I thought 'an historic' is wrong, but I found this article which concludes that:
a. both 'a historic' and 'an historic' are used and acceptable
b. 'an historic' is on the decline in both AmE and BrE

I came across a clip of Alex Trebek (5 sec) introducing IBM's Watson computer against human competitors in Jeopardy. I think he is saying 'an historic' with the 'h' sound. I am assuming that since he is a famous TV host, he must be right. I was expecting either 'a historic' or 'an historic' (with no 'h' sound).

Thank you

You don't. If you want to say an, then the H is silent. If you want to say a, than the H is pronounced.

You can pronounce it an 'istoric or a historic. But you can't mix and match.

Don't use English speakers as authorities. We have no rules - just traditions and tendencies that shift from time to time, place to place, class to class, and ethnicity to ethnicity. Alex Trebek talks like Alex Trebek. Listen to lots of English speakers, and understand that we don't all talk alike, even within one country.

 

[Rover_KE]

You can pronounce it an 'istoric or a historic. But you can't mix and match. Yes, you can; many people do — for the following reason in your own words:

We have no rules - just traditions and tendencies that shift from time to time.... Listen to lots of English speakers, and understand that we don't all talk alike, even within one country.

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