How to Pronounce WH Words — what, why, which

Have you noticed that there are two different ways to pronounce words that begin with ‘wh’?  I pronounce them one way, and my mother pronounces them another.  Special thanks to Mom for helping with this video!

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Video Text:

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.

 

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