Isn't 't' silent in Humpty Dumpty?

[metroguy]

My 3-yr old has been attending Lorna Whiston Pre-School for a week now.

In the school holidays, we taught him some rhymes including Humpty Dumpty. We pronounced as Humpy Dumpy (t-silent). We are not native english speakers, but we thought this is the right pronounciation and that's how it was pronounced when the same rhyme was sung in the "Bananas in Pyjamas" programme.

But after they taught the same rhyme in the school, my son started saying humpty dumpty with 't' prnounced (as in empty). When we tried to correct him, he said we are wrong and this is how the teacher taught him.

We observed a Paediatric Neurologist at KKH pronouncing the same rhyme as humpty dumpty with 't' prnounced (as in empty) when we went for a developmental checkup. Is that how it's pronounced in Singapore?

Just wondering which is right. After all, we don't want him to be asking for a receipt (with 'p' pronounced) when he pays for something in future.

[ScoobyDoes]

The "t" is mosT definaTely noT silenT

[sundaymorningstaple]

Just like there no 'r' in Alaska or in Love. Both often pronounced locally like alasker or lurve. Or 'with' being pronounced 'wif' so often that most think that's how it's spelled as well!

[Barczar]

Don't forget my personal hatred for Fren (singular for friend) or Frenz (pural for friends). 100% Humpty Dumpty and believe it or not it has nothing to do with an large talking Egg?!

An Egg came about as A Roundhead ( Parliamentarian) was so called from the close-cropped hair of the Puritans




FYI - as found on www.rhymes.org.uk

Humpty Dumpty was in fact believed to be a large cannon! It was used during the English Civil War ( 1642 - 1649) in the Siege of Colchester (13 Jun 1648 - 27 Aug 1648). Colchester was strongly fortified by the Royalists and was laid to siege by the Parliamentarians (Roundheads). In 1648 the town of Colchester was a walled town with a castle and several churches and was protected by the city wall. Standing immediately adjacent the city wall, was St Mary's Church. A huge cannon, colloquially called Humpty Dumpty, was strategically placed on the wall next to St Mary's Church. The historical events detailing the siege of Colchester are well documented.

A shot from a Parliamentary cannon succeeded in damaging the wall beneath Humpty Dumpty which caused the cannon to tumble to the ground. The Royalists, or Cavaliers, 'all the King's men' attempted to raise Humpty Dumpty on to another part of the wall. However, because the cannon , or Humpty Dumpty, was so heavy ' All the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put Humpty together again!' This had a drastic consequence for the Royalists as the strategically important town of Colchester fell to the Parliamentarians after a siege lasting eleven weeks. Earliest traceable publication 1810.

[micknlea]

Most definitely let him pronounce the Ts!

It is is as Scooby says... (although that should be definiTely )

[ScoobyDoes]

It is is as Scooby says... (although that should be definiTely )

Woof!

[metroguy]

Thanks and it feels greaT to be corrected by my little boy.

[Matney]

I've never heard it without the t...I'd stick with using the t if I were you.

[batgirl_cdn]

Absolutely the t's are pronounced.

[mules]

the "t"'s are definitely pronounced!! i've never heard it without!

i am a stickler for correct english, nothing frustrates me more that replacing 'th' with a 'f' sound, as in jonathon being pronounced 'jonafon' or saturday being pronounced at "satday"

[QRM]

the "t"'s are definitely pronounced!! i've never heard it without!

i am a stickler for correct english, nothing frustrates me more that replacing 'th' with a 'f' sound, as in jonathon being pronounced 'jonafon' or saturday being pronounced at "satday"

Like using a small i instead of a big I, or starting names of people or languages in lowercase. Drives me up the wall too.

[mules]

Ouch! I thought we were discussing spoken, not written language!