Show language changes made over precise protests 41 until about the middle of the nineteenth century it was usual in pronouncing the word humble to refrain from sounding the h b generally the word was preceded by an instead of by a the changing to sounding g the h came gradually as a ma matter ater of usage as many changes in the llie language come in the end usa usage e must be followed though precise speakers resist it for a time even in fairly recent rece nt years jears a few persons persisted in pronouncing humble without the h the variation you have observed on this point between an early and a later edition of websters dictionary la Is accounted for by acceptance of the change by the later editors the gradual alteration in usage concerning the word humble bumble was a subject of protest as long ago as 1853 when a correspondent spon dent of the periodical notes and queries illustrated his contention that the h should be silent by giving a list of what lie he stated to be the derivations of the words in which the h b should be silent the words were heir honest honor hour humble bumble and humor |