Dropping the aitch from "human"

[Grant Barrett]

Can anyone offer insight into or sources covering the regions of the
US where "h" is likely to be dropped at the beginning of words in
which the "h" is typically pronounced in other regions? The classic
example is the word "human."

I'm not interested in discussions of just "herb," but words like
human, humor, humid, hunger, hoot, hootenanny, hooter, hook, hush,
hungry, humble, hundred, hunk, hunker, happy, handle, hanky, hanker
and any others where the "h" is, or seems, likely to disappear in
specific parts of the country.

Journal articles or book recommendations welcomed. I don't have
access to Labov et al's Atlas, though page-pointers are welcomed.

Thanks, in any case.

Grant Barrett
http://www.doubletongued.org/
editor at doubletongued.org

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