How do you say "Aunt"

[TheGoofster]

After reading the other post about the South (and me being originally from Mass.) it got me thinking about the different ways of saying things, especially the word Aunt.
Now, I'm not looking for any fights or debates, I am simply wondering how you say this word.
As far as I can tell there are three different ways to say it:
Aunt - as in Haunt
Aunt - as in Ant
Aunt - as in Aint. (Like Andy Griffith used to call Aunt Bea)
As you can guess, being from Ma. I say Aunt as in Haunt (the more Brittish pronunciation).
How do you say it?

 

[PrincessPatty]

Im from Pittsburgh, Pa and I say 'ant' for Aunt

 

[U2_rocks!]

When I say it, it sounds almost like "ant" but not quite. The "a" sound is slightly longer and less flat than when I say "ant", but it's also not like haunt or aint.

 

[Hedy]

After reading the other post about the South (and me being originally from Mass.) it got me thinking about the different ways of saying things, especially the word Aunt.
Now, I'm not looking for any fights or debates, I am simply wondering how you say this word.
As far as I can tell there are three different ways to say it:
Aunt - as in Haunt
Aunt - as in Ant
Aunt - as in Aint. (Like Andy Griffith used to call Aunt Bea)
As you can guess, being from Ma. I say Aunt as in Haunt (the more Brittish pronunciation).
How do you say it?

Aunt has in Haunt, duh.
True story, in fifth grade we were discussion commonly mispelled words, and the teacher asked a kid how to spell "Aunt", pronounced ant. The kid replied "A-N-T."

 

[Bob Slydell]

I flip-flop between pronunciations. From where I was born and raised (in NW PA), it's "ant". But my DW has always said aunt like haunt, so over time, I've kind of picked up the her pronunciation as well.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

It was Aunt (ant) to relatives and Auntie to my Mom's close friends.

 

[miss missy]

we say it like "aren't"

 

[TheGoofster]

Interesting that nobody is voting for Aunt as in aint. Is that only the way they say it on the Andy Griffith Show - Aunt Bea? Or do people really say it that way?

 

[SC Minnie]

I say aunt as in ant. My mom's family from the rural south say aunt like ain't.

 

[JunieJay]

I flip-flop between pronunciations. From where I was born and raised (in NW PA), it's "ant". But my DW has always said aunt like haunt, so over time, I've kind of picked up the her pronunciation as well.

This is me too. Except for it had nothing to do with my husband, who still says Ant. I just hated the way Ant sounded so I started saying Aunt. My family hates me for it, I'll say that, anytime we are in the company of any of our Ants/Aunts I get a boatload of crap for trying to sound high falutin'

 

[NMAmy]

I say it as "ant." DD's driving me crazy because her stepmother says it as "haunt" and dd is picking it up.

DH is British and he pronounces it "ant" as well.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Interesting that nobody is voting for Aunt as in aint. Is that only the way they say it on the Andy Griffith Show - Aunt Bea? Or do people really say it that way?

I think it just sort of came out that way with the Mayberry accent, but Andy probably thought he was saying "ant".

 

[lovemygoofy]

Interesting that nobody is voting for Aunt as in aint. Is that only the way they say it on the Andy Griffith Show - Aunt Bea? Or do people really say it that way?

I think if you find some ole timers in the South they still pronounce it aint. My granny does I know and so did my papaw. I think for the most part I just saw ant but if I'm around the old timers or deep south people I do notice my twang coming back big time and the old words being used more.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I have to say I've never heard it rhyme with "haunt" I have heard it pronounced "ont"

maybe I just pronounce "haunt" funny

 

[Bob Slydell]

My family hates me for it, I'll say that, anytime we are in the company of any of our Ants/Aunts I get a boatload of crap for trying to sound high falutin'

Same here. My mom always gives me crap when I pronounce it Aunt.

ETA: Cameron says aunt (as in haunt, or "ont" -- included for Donna )

 

[beck0321]

I say "aint" and when I voted it said only one vote for this pronunciation. But I see other people have posted that they say it this way. I'm not the only one huh?

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I have to say I've never heard it pronounced like "haunt" I have heard it pronounced "ont"

maybe I just pronounce "haunt" funny

I thought she meant like haunt without the "h". I've never heard it literally like "haunt", either.

I say "ant", as that's the only way I'd ever heard it until I was probably a teenager or so. Where I live, it's very rare to hear it pronounced as anything else.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I thought she meant like haunt without the "h".

That's what I meant too I've never heard it rhyme with haunt

 

[dcgrumpy]

That's really weird, how did my post end up before the one I quoted

 

[TheGoofster]

That's really weird, how did my post end up before the one I quoted

Oh wow, maybe your psychic???

BTW, I do say Aunt just like the word Haunt or taunt.