How do you pronounce "aunt?"

[BvBPL]

I was raised in upstate New York, and everyone there pronounces aunt as "ant." Same with my family in NYC and Long Island.

However, here in New England every says "ahhunt," pronouncing the "u."

I'm curious how people in other parts of the nation and world pronounce this word.

 

[JollyRoger]

In some parts of the South, I believe it is pronounced "sister-in-law" or "mother-in-law".

 

[Cutlass]

awnt..

 

[Arakhor]

I've only ever pronounced it "aren't". I wasn't aware there was any other way.

 

[azzaman333]

Definitely not ant.

 

[Mise]

I've only ever pronounced it "aren't". I wasn't aware there was any other way.

People from Wales say "ant". I guess people from certain parts of the North do too. EDIT: Thinking about it, not every Welsh accent says "ant". I think they would in Cardiff, for example, but Huw Edwards off the BBC wouldn't say "ant".

 

[classical_hero]

I've only ever pronounced it "aren't". I wasn't aware there was any other way.

This is clearly the proper way of pronouncing it.

 

[shadowplay]

antie.

 

[warpus]

ant

or ciocia

 

[Synobun]

Ant.

The way people say ahhunt makes it sound like you're saying "awwwwnt" which makes the word longer than it should be.

Canada #1.

 

[Kyriakos]

Awnt or Ant.

 

[Arakhor]

You're Greek, you can be excused. These other native English speakers can't plead that case.

 

[Formaldehyde]

I agree. It is quite clear how it should be pronounced:


Link to video.

 

[_random_]

I've only ever pronounced it "aren't". I wasn't aware there was any other way.

Where the hell would the "r" come from?

 

[Flying Pig]

The 'u', which was put there specifically so that it didn't sound like 'ant'

 

[NickyJ]

The 'u', which was put there specifically so that it didn't sound like 'ant'

Precisely. I can't imagine saying "ant".

 

[Mise]

We put "r"s in things almost at whim though. E.g. Castle, pass, etc. "We" being "received pronunciation people".

 

[BvBPL]

The 'u', which was put there specifically so that it didn't sound like 'ant'

I don't know about they. They have different etymologies after all.

 

[bathsheba666]

I aren't going to tell you.

 

[strijder20]

You call members of your family ants? Eww...