The trouble with “aunt”
By DAN LANGFORD
Aunts are wonderful people to have in one’s life. Depending on whom one is talking to, though, pronunciation of the word can vary greatly. So far as I know, the three most common pronunciations are “ant,” “ont,” and “aint.”
I was raised using the first and the last of those pronunciations — the first, if I was talking about my aunt; the second, if I was talking to her. “You need to meet my “ant” Helen,” I might tell someone. When I introduce the two, I would say, “Aint Helen, this is my friend _____.” Don’t ask me why — that’s just how most native people of good standing used the pronunciations in Fayette County, Georgia during my youth, and yet today.
In my experience, “aint” is used as the only pronunciation of the word in upland regions of the state. There, you may hear, “I need to talk to my aint about it.” That sounds substandard to my own ear, but it’s perfectly acceptable in many places. Standard pronunciation, after all, in many cases depends solely on where you’re from.
As for “ont,” I really couldn’t say. Growing up, we thought it was solely an African-American pronunciation, but I’ve learned since that many Northerners say it that way, too. Furthermore, I’m relatively certain that’s the orginal British pronunciation. So, while “ont” may be the most correct pronunciation to most English-speaking people, I personally never will be convinced that the usage I grew up with isn’t the highest and best. If you don’t believe me, just ask Aint Helen, my favorite aunt.