Is the T in "often" silent or not?

Question

i've heard it pronounced both ways, which is right?

Answer 1

I very much want to say YES. But as happens with language, over time so many people pronounce a word differently that the new version becomes at least equally as acceptable.

Frankly, I believe the REASON many American pronounce this T is that they see it in the spelling and just ASSUME that they should. But if they understood what was going on here they were NOT pronounce it.

There are many instances of a root form ending with st or ft in which the t becomes silent when -en of -le is added,

The easiest example is "soft" -- which adds the -den to make "soften", in which EVERYONE knows the t becomes silent.

Other examples:
list -> listen
fast [as in 'held fast/secure'] -> fasten
haste -> hasten
chaste -> chasten
moist -> moisten
nest -> nestle
wrest -> wrestle
Christ -> christen (cf. "Christmas" in which the /m/, which is very similar to /n/ also makes the T silent)

Other words with this type of ending (and so a 'silent T')
glisten
bristle; gristle; mistletoe; thistle; whistle; epistle (vs. pronounced in "epistolary")
castle; trestle; bustle; hustle; rustle
jostle; ostler; apostle (vs. pronounced in "apostolic")

Answer 2

During the 15th century English experienced a widespread loss of certain consonant sounds within consonant clusters, as the (d) in handsome and handkerchief, the (p) in consumption and raspberry, and the (t) in chestnut and often. In this way the consonant clusters were simplified and made easier to articulate. With the rise of public education and literacy and, consequently, people's awareness of spelling in the 19th century, sounds that had become silent sometimes were restored, as is the case with the t in often, which is now frequently pronounced. In other similar words, such as soften and listen, the t generally remains silent.

Answer 3

I have heard the "t" pronounced only very infrequently, usually when the speaker was trying to make a point that the event in question happened VERY OFF-ten.

Answer 4

It depends on your dialect. Every dictionary I've found lists both pronunciations as standard except for one (that only lists "of-un") -- pronunciations with "t" are always at the end of the list, implying to me that "OFF-ten" is less standard and/or less common. "OFF-ten" might be older though, because it was originally derived from the older word "oft."

I say OFF-un / AH-fun, which also seems far more common in what I hear from people I know.

Answer 5

Apparently, the 't' should be silent - which is mostly is in Britain. However, in North America the 't' tends to be pronounced (not 'pronunciated'!!).

Answer 6

It is supposed to be pronounced off-en not off-ten. So yes, it is silent.

Answer 7

I'm from the Midwest, but I pronounce it w/ the "t." Maybe that makes me pretentious, but whatever.

Answer 8

when pronounced correctly, the 't' is not silent. However, it's just human error to sort of skip it.

Answer 9

good question

often is one of those words that has many ways of saying it

i say it with the t silent

but some people say the t

Answer 10

The dictionary says that either pronounciation is acceptable. I think that "off-en" sounds better --- "of-ten" reminds me of elementary school.