Something about the Pronunciation of the Word Aunt

[Cbsteffen]

When the word "aunt" was introduced, was that word originally only pronounced "ahnt"? I read somewhere that the word was at least once pronounced "ant" by mistake and eventually became a realistic pronunciation of that word.

[reiddb]

How funny~we say it as ant

[JediJohnnie]

I always figured it came down to where you're from. For example I'm from New England and we say "Ahnt", which I think is the proper pronunciation using "the King's English". But other places in the midwest, I think "Ant" is the popular pronunciation.

[Nancy5]

We use the sound 'ant' 

[jcalexis]

It funny you mentioned that. I always say ' aunt', but i hear some people say " ant". Maybe it depends which part of the country you were born in.

[Cbsteffen]

I always figured it came down to where you're from. For example I'm from New England and we say "Ahnt", which I think is the proper pronunciation using "the King's English". But other places in the midwest, I think "Ant" is the popular pronunciation.

I can believe that. "Ahnt" matches up more with the spelling of that word.

[dreamyxo]

I've never said "ant"  and none of my relatives say it either.

[linderlizzie]

You say tomato. I say tomato. Let's call the whole thing off.

https://youtu.be/zZ3fjQa5Hls?t=16

[jkhanson]

You say tomato. I say tomato. Let's call the whole thing off.

https://youtu.be/zZ3fjQa5Hls?t=16

What a fun video!  I love watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance....this is first time I've seen them on roller skates.  The end of the "dance" was a surprise!

Oh yeah, I say ANT!

[braggin]

I am from western Massachusetts where it is still "ahnt". I get teased about that all the time here in NJ where I now live and where they say "ant."

[ladavia89]

I actually say both depending on who I'm talking to and where they're from.  I tend to practice code switching on a regular basis so I'll go from slang and lazy annunciation to "proper" English without really realizing based on the situation

[Cbsteffen]

I don't care how any of you pronounce aunt. I was asking about the history of the pronunciation of the word, NOT how you pronounce the word.

[linderlizzie]

I don't care how any of you pronounce aunt. I was asking about the history of the pronunciation of the word, NOT how you pronounce the word.

Ooh, a little hostile there, Cbsteffen.  How's this?

Found on Wikipedia: 1250-1300; Middle English aunte < Anglo-French, for Old French ante < Latin amita father's sister, old feminine past participle of amāre to love, i.e., beloved.

Pronunciation note
The usual vowel of aunt in the United States is the [a] (Show IPA) of rant except in New England and eastern Virginia, where it is commonly the “New England broad a, ” a vowel similar to French [a] and having a quality between the [a] of hat and the [ah] of car. The vowel [ah] itself is also used. In New England and eastern Virginia [ah] or the [a] -like sound occur in aunt in the speech of all social groups, even where a “broad a ” is not used in words like dance and laugh. Elsewhere, the “broader” a is chiefly an educated pronunciation, fostered by the schools with only partial success (“Your relative isn't an insect, is she?”), and is sometimes regarded as an affectation. Aunt with the vowel of paint is chiefly South Midland United States and is limited to folk speech.
The [a] pronunciation of aunt was brought to America before British English developed the [ah] in such words as aunt, dance, and laugh. In American English, [ah] is most common in the areas that maintained the closest cultural ties with England after the [ah] pronunciation developed there in these words.

[BlackSheepNY]

When the word "aunt" was introduced, was that word originally only pronounced "ahnt"? I read somewhere that the word was at least once pronounced "ant" by mistake and eventually became a realistic pronunciation of that word.

I really do think it all comes down to what part of the country you're originally from.  I was born and raised in NY and we say "ant."  Think about it, we all speak English, but each state or region has got their very own "accent" or "dialect."  Most people can tell if we're from the North, South, Midwest or West as soon as we open our mouths, LOL.

[pressman]

I 'm also from New England and we always say "anht"  my grandkids live i R I and make fun of me say I have an accent