Pronunciations

[Amy Z]

Catherine wrote:
 
> One that I have always wondered about is Anthony.  In the UK, the 
> majority pronounce it An-tony.  In the US, IIRC, it is An- THony.  
> Anybody know why?
>
> Another one is herbs.  Why do most Americans drop the H?

No idea on either of these, though the Anthony makes some kind of 
intuitive sense--a move, perhaps, from the original (Italian, I 
guess?) to a more phonetic pronunciation.  My surname is Americanized 
this way.  Probably the early immigrants stick to the original 
pronunciation, but by later generations it's been given up under the 
pressure of constant mispronunciation.

Someone, somewhere must have written a thorough history of English 
pronunciation.  There is certainly no firm logic to the pronunciation 
of English in any country.  People who learn it as a second language 
must go nuts.

N.B.:  We don't drop the H in the name Herb, just the plants.  
Important to remember if you're talking to a Herb.

Amy Z