Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 13:15:54 -0500

From: "Dale F.Coye" CoyeCFAT[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM

Subject: Re: I don't think of this often



Heather wrote:



-- I read this the other day and found the part

about the 't' in "often" most disturbing (I never pronounce it,

what's more, I always thought it was some form of hypercorrection).--



Often with t pronounced is probably right up there in the top ten

pronunciations that get under people's skin. And vice-versa, as noted by the

guy you quote who was ticked off at the t-less pronunciation. I'll bet a

poll of the literati would not approve it as standard, but the t-pronouncers

seem to be taking over the world anyway. If I were a school teacher, I'd

point out soften, whistle, listen for starters, explain what a spelling

pronunciation is, and then admit the power of the masses (witness the

amazing success of calm, palm, etc. pronounced with /l/).



Dale Coye

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

Princeton, NJ