Re: Standard RP pronunciation of "often"?


<jerry_friedman@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1180633974.323220.36310@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On May 31, 10:01 am, "athel...@yahoo" <athel...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Nick Spalding wrote:
Don Phillipson wrote, in <f3mgs9$3j...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
on Thu, 31 May 2007 08:57:32 -0400:

"zhengquan" <zhang.zhengq...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1180588429.164930.217320@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Is "often" pronounced with the t sound standard in RP? Can I infer
something about the speaker's backgroud according to that?

British official and upper class RP does not sound the T.
This accent is now largely superseded by proletarian RP
which sounds the T distinctly: so do most Americans.

I think I have heard Prince Charles say it almost like 'orphan'.
--

When I was young that was quite common, especially in sermons given by
elderly priests who also pronounced "cross" as "crorss" (non-rhotic,
of course).

I think all three pronunciations (off-tn, offen and orphan) are
acceptable and I don't particularly notice which one anyone uses. I
normally say offen now, but I've certainly used both of the others at
one time or another.

It's curious that this is a question about "often" as if that word
were in some way special. But nobody pronounces the t in "soften" or
asks why we don't. Or do they?

I've never heard the t in soften either, which makes me think the t in often
should be silent too. But it's hard to argue with the numbers. I'd say both
pronunciations ae equally common.


.

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