In this American English pronunciation video, I’m going to discuss, with my Mom, the pronunciation
of WH.
I’ve gotten a couple questions about how do you pronounce words that begin with WH.
And I’ve brought my Mom here because she pronounces it differently than I do. She does
the perfect, in my opinion, old fashioned, hw sound before the W. Whereas, I just make
a clean W sound. So, for example, let’s just say some words.
>> Okay.
>> Whale. >> Whale.
>> White. >> White.
>> What? >> What?
>> Why? >> Why?
>> While. >> While.
>> Such a perfect hw. So, either way, totally acceptable. And Mom, you said sometimes you
leave off the hw? Like for the word ‘whether’, you said you don’t do it.
>> Whether, W-H-E-T-H-E-R, I would say the same as weather.
>> Whether or not. >> Yeah, whether or not, I would say the same
as weather, clouds, rain, sleet. >> Right.
>> So, there I don’t say the WH. >> Yeah.
>> So either one is acceptable. Um, in my opinion, why learn another sound, hw, when
you don’t have to. Just make it a nice, clean W sound. I also think that the way my
Mom says it, white. >> White.
>> …is a little old fashioned. What do you think. Do you agree with that?
>> No. >> Really?
>> I don’t think it’s old-fashioned. >> What do you think it is?
>> I think it’s the way to say WH. >> Oh. Its A way to say WH.
Grammar note: when you say THE way, it means there’s only one way. When you say A way,
it means there is more than one way. Mom thinks her way is the only way, the right way,
but I know that both are acceptable pronunciations.
Listen again to THE way and A way.
>> What do you think it is? >> I think it’s the way to say WH.
>> Oh. Its A way to say WH. >> Okay guys, so that’s my opinion on how
to say WH words. If you’re going to say it like me, which is a clean W sound, you
just round the lips, ww, and start your word. Thanks, Mom.
>> You’re welcome, dear. >> Alright guys, that’s it, and thanks so
much for using Rachel’s English.