Pronunciation of Often

[SeaBreeze]

I say it with a silent T, but I hear a lot of folks who say the T sound...how do you say often?

 

[Ameriscot]

I say it with a silent t but I hear quite a few in the UK who say the T.

 

[Falcon]

I say "offen".

 

[AprilT]

If anyone wants to hear the correct pronunciation, just click either of the links I provided in my earlier post and type the word in, well correct for as far as most US English dictionaries pronounce them.

I pronounce often = off-ten or off-tin

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/height?s=t

http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=height+&submit=Submit

 

[AprilT]

now I'm gotta go see if I've been saying wrong. LOL.

 

[AprilT]

dangit, it depends on which link you go to, both are correct on the second link.

I think I know where I had a problem, reading it and just saying it off the cuff, for me, was the problem. I do actually pronounce it of en.

 

[Josiah]

I say it both ways, probably more often without the t sound. It's sometimes hard to establish how you say it when you're not thinking about how it should be said.

 

[Josiah]

My wife's name is Margaret. Some times I pronounce it with two syllables and sometimes I sneak in a third syllable.

I'm not sure what's wrong with me but in every pronunciation thread we've had lately I've confessed to saying it both ways.
Of course when it comes to spelling I'm apt to have more than just two variations. And don't mention punctuation.

 

[hollydolly]

I say it with a silent (t)...but i clicked on your 2nd link April and both seem acceptable.

Josiah, Margaret is a very common womans' name in scotland..both my grandmothers were called Margaret as were 2 aunts ...it's a bit like Maria in the Latino countries, seems like every second woman ( at least those who are older now that the name isn't so fashionable is called Margaret..on the west coast of Scotland it's most often pronounced Margrit...

 

[Capt Lightning]

I pronounce the 'T' in often, and I pronounce Margaret as Margret.

 

[Cookie]

say it with silent t - as in 'offen'

 

[jujube]

Silent T for me. My late husband said it with the silent T. My daughter has always pronounced the t.....I have no idea where she got that.

 

[oakapple]

I say often as ofTen, so yes, sounding the t,, never thought about this before, but have heard others say offen and the incredibly posh say orfen.

 

[Warrigal]

I do both, depending where the word comes in a sentence.

If I say, "Often I will go to bed late", I tend to pronounce the T
On the other hand when I say, "I often sleep in until 9 am", I don't.
Pronouncing the T emphasises the word more.

 

[NancyNGA]

But you don't pronounce the t in the word soften.

 

[Falcon]

OK Then..... What about OFTEN and LISTEN ? Do you pronounce the "T" in listen ?

 

[Warrigal]

No. It flows better without pronouncing the t.