Why do Americans pronounce 'herb' as 'erb? Is it a French influence?

Question

Looks like it comes from France - The h muet, or "mute h", is considered as though the letter were not there at all,
source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H

Answer 1

"French influence" is misleading: "affectation" is totally mistaken.

The explanation is that the word itself came into English from French, and was initially pronounced in the French manner, just as many other English h-initial words borrowed from French still are -- hono(u)r, honest, hour, heir.

So the British pronunciation in which the h is now pronounced is a later change. (In the period of the American colonial settlements the h of "herb" was silent across British English dialects as well.)

Of course, the shift to pronouncing the "h" in such words (as it was in the Latin original form, before the change in French), has been very erratic across English dialects. Thus for words llike humble, history and hotel, just as for herb, there are English dialects which pronounce the h, and others that do not. (That's not including English dialects that drop ALL the aitches, whether the word was French or not!)

Answer 2

Yes, it is one of those affectations. Different English speaking countries have others. For example, the English will say "penchant" in (more or less) it's French form, but will say "debris" in an English form - Americans do those two the other way around.

In general, I would consider the whole idea of a "proper" English pronunciation as a bit of a joke.

Answer 3

Well, the word herb does have a French derivation: "l'herbe", which means "grass". I guess that why it has a silent h.

Answer 4

in the pronouncieation of the word the "h" is silent

Answer 5

Most often H is silent. (H)onest.

Answer 6

u r righ

Answer 7

I hope not.

Answer 8

Why?
Because they can...:)