# English H's **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2000, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844 "2000-02-06T01:35:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/1 "2000-02-06T01:35:00Z")
The English seem to be famous fo rdropping the “h” off of words, while Americans tend to keep’em. Except with HERB. Here its reversed. What’s the dope? ---
**Author:** ![lvick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@lvick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lvick)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/2 "2000-02-06T01:57:00Z")
Well, I had an Australian and a Scot tell me that 'erbal tea was a mispronounciation, that the “H” should be heard. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/3 "2000-02-06T02:07:00Z")
Yep, that’s right. It should be heard. I’m not sure why Americans do pronounce it without the H, but it always sounds very strange to me. * * * **-PIGEONMAN-** Returns! [The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - **By Popular Demand!** Enjoy, enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/4 "2000-02-06T02:25:00Z")
I agree. Herb does sound better than urb. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/5 "2000-02-06T02:29:00Z")
Spose you could call it Peaches and Urb or Peaches and Herb, but either way it sounds stupid. If I had the name Herbert, I would rather is be spoken as Herbert not Urbert. We Americans are weird. ---
**Author:** ![Feelgood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@Feelgood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feelgood)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/6 "2000-02-06T04:13:00Z")
Or you could say you’re French and pronounce it aye-BEAR (Herbert) ---
**Author:** ![Momotaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Momotaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Momotaro)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/7 "2000-02-06T10:43:00Z")
There are a few other words like that. I can think of ‘honor’ and ‘heir’. I don’t pronounce the h sound. Are those Americanism? What about the letter ‘aych’, should it be pronounced ‘haych’? ---
**Author:** ![AKAmame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aca169/32.png) [@AKAmame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AKAmame)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-hs/6844/8 "2000-02-06T10:58:00Z")
For “haitch” vs “aych”, in Aus the former is regarded as a less classy pronunciation. If I can say so without intending to cause offence, it is also popularly regarded as being a predominantly Catholic-based pronunciation, maybe from the schools the Church runs. Oh you say tomayto and I say tomahto…