/hw/, herb & hw-

[Donald M. Lance]

Beverly Flanigan wrote:

> I'm not so sure the /h/ in 'herb' is totally gone or simply
> idiolectal.  I've heard it here in southern Ohio occasionally.  In any
> case, I've asked a native of the region to ask around and will report.

I wonder whether those who want to declare h- and hw- dead, dead, dead are engaging in a
little wishful thinking so that they won't have to be concerned about being "wrong"
themselves.  At least one hopes they aren't also wishing dead, dead, dead to apply to the
producers of this quaint little spirant.  (Just kidding.)  When we've had discussions of
hw- before on ads-l, and now too, it's pretty clear that this one (but maybe not hherb) is
evanescing in a generalized language change that transcends regional dialect boundaries.
I don't think for a New York minute that the media are the initiators of the change,
because they would promote conservative usage if they could.  When I hear relatives in
Tennessee say the h- in the 3rd person neuter singular pronoun it seems like the
articulation of this initial consonant is a little different from mine when I imitate
their pronunciation.
DMLance