How prevalent is the silent "t"

[James Smith]

I, too, was taught back in the 50's that the "t" in
"often" is silent.  And it seeems that's the rule
everyone followed until the last ten years or so.  I
have tried to detect a generational difference, but it
seems now almost everyone, including many from my
generation, pronounces the "t".

On Wheel of Fortune a few years ago, one of the words
in the solution was "soften".  I can't remember the
phrase or what letters were showing and which ones
weren't, but the "t" was showing.  As the woman worked
through the words that could be formed from what was
shown, she said "sof-ten", and a look of astonishment
crossed her face as though she'd never realized there
was a "t" in "soften"; at least that was my take on
what I saw.  She correctly completed the phrase,
without pronouncing the "t" in "soften".


--- Marc Sacks <msacks at THEWORLD.COM> wrote:

> I just want to add the word "often" to the question.
> My elementary-school
> teachers always insisted the "t" in "often" was
> silent, but many people
> pronounce it. I don't know that it's a regional
> difference, since my son
> pronounces the "t" while my wife and I don't, and I
> never noticed a
> prevalence for one or the other, at least around
> Boston.
>
> Marc Sacks
> msacks at theworld.com


James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.


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