N A Chess, not En Haitch Ess

For years I have assumed that those who pronounce "H" as if it began with that letter were merely uneducated, but it seems that they might be Irish instead (or possibly as well).

I learned this from a piece in the Guardian by David McKie called Why I ate the Haitch mob. This covers the matter in some detail and notes regretfully that Haitch seems to be gaining ground, though, oddly, those who use it make an exception when it is used as an initial—few, one may hope, would refer to Prince Philip as Haitch R Haitch.

McKie also comments on the way in which a word begins defines the image of what it portrays: B suits words of abuse, for example, spit sounds nasty, and Aitch suggests something amenable, affable and amicable, while Haitch is harder, harsher, more hostile.

It is a pity that the distinguished speech therapist Carol no longer updates her blog, as I am sure she would have something interesting to say on this subject.