italki - often - [ofTen] - Is it right? I saw video where teacher Mark had told "often" as [ofTen]. I had nev

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often - [ofTen] - Is it right? I saw video where teacher Mark had told "often" as [ofTen]. I had never listened such pronounciation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou2C9CDeGJY Gray Cee Hi, Mark. As an English teacher in China, I really like your videos. I would just take issue with one thing in this video. "Often" should be pronounced with a silent "t". I think this is a fairly universal rule. (I am Australian.) Mark Kulek Hi Gray! I wouldn't call it a rule. I grew up in California and have always pronounced the "t". I now live in Japan where I also teach English and it has never been an issue of concern, IMHO :)

May 15, 2016 9:14 PM

Answers · 5

The history is this : The word used to be simply 'oft', and then at some point in time people started adding the 'en', but kept the 't' sound. Then at a later date, some experts decided it ought to be pronounced with a silent 't', the same as 'fasten', even though there was no good reason to drop the 't'. Today there are probably a couple of hundred million native English speakers in the world who pronounce the 't' in often, and a couple of hundred million who don't pronounce it. Everyone thinks that their pronunciation is right. So it really doesn't matter.

May 15, 2016

I always pronounce the t.

May 15, 2016

Thank you, Paul.

May 15, 2016

I always pronounce the 't' too. Think the Australian fella is talking out of his behind to be honest! This is not a rule, pronounce it however you find most comfortable, with or without the 't.'

May 15, 2016

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