Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 16:05:32 -0500

From: "Virginia P. Clark" Virginia.Clark[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UVM.EDU

Subject: of(t)en



My impression is that often (with the /t/) is increasing in use, at

least among college students. I've considered it a spelling pronunciation,

given that for several hundred years (no OED handy) the standard pronuncia-

tion was without the /t/. But then, I'm still trying to figure out why one

of my own children pronounces the /l/ in calm and palm.



Virginia