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Twenty often

When do you pronounce the T?
I pronounce it in "twenty" but not in "often." 11 votes
I pronounce it in "often" but not in "twenty." 2 votes
I pronounce it in both words. 4 votes
I don't pronounce it in either word. 4 votes

Benjamin Grimm
Feb 20 2008 07:44 AM

Do you pronounce the T sound in the words twenty and often?

HahnSolo
Feb 20 2008 08:09 AM

I went with the first option. I didn't know you could pronounce twenty without the "t". "Twenny"?

Benjamin Grimm
Feb 20 2008 08:10 AM

I say "twunny" and "offin."

RealityChuck
Feb 20 2008 08:18 AM

Pronounce it "twenty" but not in "often," because dropping the "t" in twenty is a bit of sloppy pronunciation, while pronouncing it in "often" is a hypercorrection.

"Often" has an interesting history. It was pronounced "offen" from the start, but people started seeing the "t" and started adding it (much as they sometimes do in "comfortable" -- 3 syllables, not four) -- and "victuals" -- pronounced "vittles").

I do often pronounce "twenty" as "twendy" but the "d" and "t" sounds are both dental stops, so it's easy to mix up the two.

Willets Point
Feb 20 2008 08:35 AM

When the bus is running I late I make very profane pronouncements about the T.

metirish
Feb 20 2008 09:14 AM

I pronounce both T's .

AG/DC
Feb 20 2008 09:26 AM

Damn, peepies. Vote in the parody poll.

seawolf17
Feb 20 2008 09:29 AM

Maybe if we'd written songs about bad grammar, people would vote.

Valadius
Feb 20 2008 09:30 AM

I pronounce it "twunny" and "offen".

KC
Feb 20 2008 10:14 AM

I pronounce all numbers perfectly.

I do use offen, but only when followed by another word - offen enough.

If I told someone - I think of you often - I pronounce the t.

I think.

Rockin' Doc
Feb 20 2008 11:12 AM

I pronounce the "t" in twenty. I generally pronounce the "t" in often, but I occasionally will say it as "offin".

Vic Sage
Feb 21 2008 03:50 PM

in Brooklyn, it's "twunny" and awfin"

akchully, its awfin a lot less than twunny... s'more like leven, leven-fifty, sumthin like that. Then it gets marked up big time, what with the vig `n all.

cooby
Feb 21 2008 07:02 PM

I don't know. I'll have to lissen to myself.