Quote:
Originally Posted by Fang66 
I think it depends on the variety of British English, also working class and the upper crust tend to do it more than the middle class I believe. It also varies to some extent with age, with both younger and older people choosing the less prestigious pronunciation and middle aged people choosing the more prestigious.
I think it depends on the variety of British English, also working class and the upper crust tend to do it more than the middle class I believe. It also varies to some extent with age, with both younger and older people choosing the less prestigious pronunciation and middle aged people choosing the more prestigious.
You mean that retaining the h would be the more prestigious pronunciation, right? (In my stereotype of working-class British English, the h's get dropped, as in 'armonica.)
Don't know if you'd know this, but is there still variation within Great Britain or Australia in the pronunciation of herb? In the US, it would be very odd to hear someone from any social class or from any region say herb with the h. That's why I was genuinely surprised at Harvey: if I heard that in real life, I'd be taken aback for a second.
