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Maverick88 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Often

Do you pronounce the 't' in the word 'otfen'?
Should I? Why?
Thanks
  

Top answer

Both pronunciations are okay. In BrE, both are acceptable, in AmE only the without 't' is acceptable. Things may have changed now though.

— Equivocal

  • Both pronunciations are okay.
  • In BrE, both are acceptable, in AmE only the without 't' is acceptable.
  • Things may have changed now though.
  • eq
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5 Answers
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Both pronunciations are okay. In BrE, both are acceptable, in AmE only the without 't' is acceptable. Things may have changed now though.

eq
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No, I don't pronounce the "t" in either "often" or "soften".
The "t" is not pronounced in "stle" endings either: castle, trestle, thistle, bustle, wrestle, ...

CJ
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Got the pronunciations from the Oxford dictionary. I still freely alternate between both. But I think its gerenally tending to without 't'.
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Hasten, fasten, listen, chasten, glisten, gristle, epistle, apostle, bristle, rustle, mistletoe.

I always thought that the /t/ in 'often' was hypercorrection, but Webster's Collegiate lists it as 'a variant in educated speech which is considered unacceptable by some'-- what an unusual situation!
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