# How do you pronounce aunt? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819 "2011-11-23T00:26:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [November 24, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/41 "2011-11-24T01:15:07Z")
I’m very surprised we’re at 30% ahnt. I would have expected maybe half that. ---
**Author:** ![Dorabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f08c70/32.png) [@Dorabella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorabella)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/42 "2011-11-24T01:33:12Z")
I pronounce it ‘ahnt’ and I don’t know anyone who pronounces it ‘ant’ but then I am Australian. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/43 "2011-11-24T11:19:21Z")
Ahnt. New Zealander. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/44 "2011-11-24T12:56:26Z")
Aren’t. As in ‘are not’. I’m Midlands English with southern English influences. My Welsh partner takes the piss out of me for sounding ‘posh’ when I say ‘aaarnt’, ‘paaaarth’ etc, even though it’s a regional thing in my case rather than a class thing. ---
**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:** [November 24, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/45 "2011-11-24T15:13:15Z")
Ant. I’ve never understood the objection that “ant” is confusing, because it sounds like the insect. I mean, really, in what context would the word’s meaning be ambiguous? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/46 "2011-11-24T15:25:09Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Ant. I’ve never understood the objection that “ant” is confusing, because it sounds like the insect. I mean, really, in what context would the word’s meaning be ambiguous? I’ve never heard anyone claim that it’s confusing. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/47 "2011-11-24T18:13:52Z")
The only time I pronounce it “ahnt” is when I’m differentiating it from _ant_. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/48 "2011-11-25T00:50:58Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Ant. I’ve never understood the objection that “ant” is confusing, because it sounds like the insect. I mean, really, in what context would the word’s meaning be ambiguous? Maybe someone’s aunt designs ant farms. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/49 "2011-11-25T01:27:19Z")
Born in Jersey, live in New England, married to a Bostonian. I say “Ant”, she says “Ahnt”. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/50 "2011-11-25T01:30:02Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I will write aynt for my pronunciation of both aunt and ant. So I have an aynt Ann (the latter having the pronunciation of the second a in banana. My daughter’s roommate in college from central Mass had an ahnt Aynn. I’m from Philadelphia. I say ahnt. And bahnahnah. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/51 "2011-11-25T01:40:53Z")
Ant, from Arkansas, Caucasian. I’ve never heard a Black person say, “ant” but rather “Ahnt” or “Ahnty”. It has been suggested to me that this is because the slave named Sally who cared for the White kids was called “Ant Sally” by them. ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/52 "2011-11-25T04:48:48Z")
I say ahnt. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/53 "2011-11-25T21:46:58Z")
Ant in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![Pocito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@Pocito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pocito)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819/54 "2011-11-25T22:00:02Z")
My sister’s husband has a sister who insists his kids call her ahnt. He now requires her kids to call him oonkle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aunt/603819.md?page=2)