# Aith, eightth, or either? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887 "2006-03-25T21:50:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/21 "2006-03-26T05:02:55Z")
[QUOTE=BoringDad] Nope, I clearly pronounce the second T in statement. I have never heard anyone pronounce it as you present here. [/QUOTE] If you’re pronouncing it properly, the tip of your tongue should briefly touch the roof of your mouth – three times in the word “statement.” ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/22 "2006-03-26T05:29:50Z")
I most certainly say “aith”. I do so (if I have to justify what just came naturally in my acquisition of language) because “th” is its own contained sound. Eigh-th. If I were to pronounce the “t” in any way by itself, then the terminal “h” is left dangling without its partner to complete the soft “th” sound. Eight-h? Doesn’t make sense. For similar reasons of word construction, I pronounce **panache45** ’s “width” with the “d” intact. Wid-th. And because I’m in the mood to easily bristle (pronounced “brissle”) tonight, **Beware of Doug** , museums are “mu-se’ums”, human is “hyu-man”, involved is “in-volve-d”, and before you ask, library most certainly has two "r"s. It’s not a matter of “those people.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/23 "2006-03-26T05:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] If I were to pronounce the “t” in any way by itself, then the terminal “h” is left dangling without its partner to complete the soft “th” sound. Eight-h? Doesn’t make sense. [/QUOTE] Neither does your post. It’s perfectly possible to prounce the “T” sound and _also_ pronounce the "TH"sound. So, I’m not really sure what you’re trying to get at here. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/24 "2006-03-26T13:57:09Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Neither does your post. It’s perfectly possible to prounce the “T” sound and _also_ pronounce the "TH"sound. [/QUOTE] Right. So we put in an extra T. Wanna make sumpthin out uf it? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/25 "2006-03-26T14:32:33Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] Right. So we put in an extra T. Wanna make sumpthin out uf it? [/QUOTE] Sorry. I misspelled “uv.” ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/26 "2006-03-26T14:52:43Z")
So it’s all a matter of belief as to the “right” way to pronounce eighth? Would that make those who don’t hold a definite belief on what is the “right” way eighthiests? 😃 - flees \* ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/27 "2006-03-26T16:08:33Z")
How about pronouncing two back - sixth? My old Physics teacher, Barry Turner, used to say “sick-th” which drove me bonkers. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/28 "2006-03-26T16:13:21Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] And because I’m in the mood to easily bristle (pronounced “brissle”) tonight, **Beware of Doug** , museums are “mu-se’ums”, human is “hyu-man”, involved is “in-volve-d”, and before you ask, library most certainly has two "r"s. It’s not a matter of “those people.” [/QUOTE] Well! :dubious: You, my dear sir or madam, are clearly the Exception that Proves the Rule, hrrmph splut splmph. \ ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/29 "2006-03-26T16:50:31Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > If the “T” weren’t pronounnced at all the word would sound like the beginning of “Atheist”, and I have never heard anyone pronounce it in that way. Is suspect that the OP’s wife doesn’t pronounce it like that either. I pronounce it just like ath[iest]. No “t” sound at all. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887/30 "2006-03-26T20:15:50Z")
I can’t recall **ever** hearing “eight-th”. Maybe I just haven’t been listening closely enough. Are there any other English words where a situation with two consonants like this occurs? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aith-eightth-or-either/349887.md?page=1)