# Does anyone pronounce the w in the word 'answer'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694 "2010-06-18T18:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/1 "2010-06-18T18:20:34Z")
I’m just curious. I found the derivation at [Dictionary.net](http://Dictionary.net), to be OE, and AS, from a word spelled andswerian or andswerien, meaning - tadaa - answer. So, does any version or dialect of english pronounce the w? Personally I pronounce it ‘anser’ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/2 "2010-06-18T19:36:52Z")
They did, but in the 16th century the pronunciation changed. They used to say “sword” and “conquer” instead of “sord” and “conker,” too. Spelling often reflects a pre-modern pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/3 "2010-06-18T20:16:54Z")
Many thanks, Dr. Drake. I suspected as much. Someone asked me how to spell it today, and there was little enough going on at the moment that I had the luxury of a gratuitous ponder 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/4 "2010-06-18T20:43:13Z")
I believe that you can hear some speakers of Indian English say it that way. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/5 "2010-06-18T22:05:42Z")
**Does anyone pronounce the w in the word ‘answer’?** [Stewie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lich59xsjik) Griffin [might](http://familyguy.onsugar.com/tag/Pronunciation+Gags) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/6 "2010-06-18T22:27:16Z")
Gee I always prononuced the “W” in sword. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/7 "2010-06-19T01:27:44Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Gee I always prononuced the “W” in sword. ☹ Really? Where are you from? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/8 "2010-06-19T01:31:42Z")
I’ve never heard it, and I’ve met legions of ESL speakers too. The W in “sword” is much more common. Others I’ve never heard: s chool (vs skool) kuh ni gut (vs knight) (Try it, I love to say “kuh ni gut! kuh ni gut!”) ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/9 "2010-06-19T04:06:32Z")
Annnnd… I just got that joke from Monty Python. Almost a decade late. Thanks, **Superhal**! ---
**Author:** ![Paragonkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@Paragonkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paragonkid)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/10 "2010-06-20T03:57:43Z")
Hmm, could me pronouncing the w in answer be the reason for those failed english tests? Ans-wer, ans-wer. I’ve gotten so used to it… oh and I’m so gonna try that superhal “(“kuh ni gut! kuh ni gut!”)” It could just be me, but it sounds like a type of shnitzel (i hope i spelt that right) ---
**Author:** ![Sinisterniik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@Sinisterniik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinisterniik)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/11 "2010-06-20T06:39:49Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Annnnd… I just got that joke from Monty Python. Almost a decade late. Thanks, **Superhal**! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/12 "2010-06-20T12:00:28Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Really? Where are you from? I do as well. I’m from California. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/13 "2010-06-21T02:02:25Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Annnnd… I just got that joke from Monty Python. Almost a decade late. Thanks, **Superhal**! Wait. Are you saying the knights who say “ni” is explained in that post? How? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/14 "2010-06-21T02:40:35Z")
Stewie Griffin? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/15 "2010-06-21T07:37:03Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Wait. Are you saying the knights who say “ni” is explained in that post? How? > > 😕 No, no. It explains the French Soldier. > [@](#): > > French Soldier: I blow my nose at you, so-called “Arthur King,” you and all your silly English **K-nig-hts**. ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/16 "2010-06-21T07:51:35Z")
wait wait wait the w in “sword” is silent? wow I did learn something new today! I know I’m not a native English speaker, but I would have never guessed that letter was silent, the word nicely rolls off my tongue with that w. I probably never heard that word spoken clearly or often. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/17 "2010-06-21T07:57:24Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Annnnd… I just got that joke from Monty Python. Almost a decade late. Thanks, **Superhal**! Closer to three and a half decades really. ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/18 "2010-06-21T08:04:36Z")
Does anyone pronounce the w in the word ‘answer’? Now. ---
**Author:** ![MsChilePepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MsChilePepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsChilePepper)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/19 "2010-06-22T01:43:31Z")
A girl I knew in HS pronounced the Ws in words like drawing and sawing – DRAH-wing and SAH-wing. She was rather a strange one, though. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-pronounce-the-w-in-the-word-answer/543694/20 "2010-06-22T05:32:56Z")
> [@Lazz](#): > > wait wait wait the w in “sword” is silent? > > wow I did learn something new today! Just out of curiosity, how did you learn English? I’m so bad at my three semesters of college Spanish that I still can’t remember the difference between “married” and “tired”. I’m sure there are old jokes in Spanish based on that similarity.