The letter H

[Harry Hotspur]

When I look in a dictionary I find the word 'aitch', meaning 'the eigth letter of the modern English alphabet'.
Can it be correct to spell the word aitch using a letter than it is defining?
Sort of chicken and egg...................

[Jocky]

Ah, the wonderful English language. I suppose another obvious example of this phenomenon is "double-U"

If you're willing to be phonetic about it, all of the following are recognisable examples of spelt-out letter names which don't use the letter in question at all:

see
eph
jee
aye
keu
yoo
eks

And if you're being pedantic about it, "aitch" does use the letter H, just not in the first position, just like:

ell
emm
enn
arr
ess
ex
wy

I must be really bored today :)

[Harry Hotspur]

I'm not sure there's any pedantry in my question. And I concur that I only offered one example from many. It's just can/may one use the letter h in its own definition, when in truth the letter h doesn't really 'exist' until it's defined (?).

[Jocky]

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of pedantry 8)

A kind of circular definition dilemma, you mean? ISWYM.

BTW, Does your username reflect a particular fondness for the letter H? Or do you just like Medieval Kings? Or are you a Spurs fan? :)

[Harry Hotspur]

I use that username on a variety of forums. I first chose it when I came back to England (spent 13 years in the USA) and found a forum run by an old friend of mine. He knew me as a Spurs fan (since the very early 50s) and so I used it to string him along for a while.
I have no particular views on alliteration, the letter H or dead monarchy :)
And ye,s, the use of the defined within the definition. ??? ???

[median]

Holy voiceless glottal fricative!

[SKIRRID5]

Of course, half the population make it a bit more logical by pronouncing it "Haitch".

[dalriada]

Strange but true- for Northern Ireland purposes those who say "aitch" are most probably Protestant and those who say "haitch" are most likely Catholic...

http://www.anu.edu.au/andc/pubs/ozwo...8/2._aitch.htm
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~cpercy...62-bohnert.htm

[bobdezon]

Holy voiceless glottal fricative!

Batman?

[DrS]

Robin, surely!

[FarSideOfTheMoon]

Strange but true- for Northern Ireland purposes those who say "aitch" are most probably Protestant and those who say "haitch" are most likely Catholic...

http://www.anu.edu.au/andc/pubs/ozwo...8/2._aitch.htm
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~cpercy...62-bohnert.htm

I say "aitch", but then I am a protestant atheist

[bindeweede]

I say "aitch", but then I am a protestant atheist

I'm sure it is totally irrational, but people who say "haitch" really annoy me. I don't know why.

I'm an "aitch" person, as Farside - Methodist - Presbyterian - Atheist.

[Fiona]

How do you feel about J, then?

[DrS]

In Spain, it's one of the few ways to get the "h" sound!

[Fiona]

I was really wondering if Bindeweede felt strongly on the question of Jay or Ji