How do you pronounce 'H' in Britain and Australia?

God bless America   Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:27 am GMT
I recently notice that a girl from England pronounce 'H' sound like 'hey-ch' instead of 'ey-ch'.

Is that common way of pronouncing an 'H' in the UK?
I mean, in North America, we never pronounce 'H' as 'hey-ch'.

How do they pronounce 'H' in Australia, New Zealand or Ireland?
Guy   Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:09 am GMT
When I visited South Australia last year, the mojority of locals there pronounced it with aspiration. (like hey-tch)
Jonno   Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:18 pm GMT
Pronuncing the letter H as "haitch" (or "hey-ch") orginates in Ireland, but it is also widespread in Australia (and I guess NZ as well).

In Australia (and NZ?), in everyday speech, I would think that most people would say it as "haitch". However, usually amongst upper-class people (or people who consider themselves as "more educated"), "aitch" is used - it is still considered the proper way to pronounce it, after all.
blue   Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:23 pm GMT
In NZ we say aitch.
Richard   Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:51 pm GMT
I H U ("I haitch you"("I hate you"))
Lazar   Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:44 pm GMT
John Wells has mentioned this on his blog: http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/wells/blog0712b.htm . He says that "aitch" has been the standard pronunciation in British English, but that "haitch" is increasing in popularity: it's used by 16% of all BrE speakers, and by 24% of BrE speakers born since 1982.