The curse of the aitch is a grammatical phenomenon that occurs when a speaker or writer incorrectly places an "h" sound at the beginning of words that should begin with a vowel sound. This error is particularly common among speakers of some English dialects, such as Cockney or Estuary English. The curse of the aitch is named after the letter "h" because that is the letter that is mistakenly added to the beginning of words that should not have it. For example, someone might say "hat" with an initial "h" sound, pronouncing it as "that". This error can also occur with other words that begin with vowel sounds, such as "hotel" becoming "hhotel" or "orange" becoming "horange". The exact origins of the curse of the aitch are not clear, but it is thought to be influenced by the phonological features of certain English dialects.
The worksheets are illustrated with various Disney characters, and Jane introduces each sheet, telling a little bit of story about that character and tying it into the assignment—these are stories that aren’t printed on the worksheet itself. Often, a story will carry over a few worksheets so there’s a bit of continuity there.
The app has a progress report button that shows what topics you ve worked on, and a detailed report that shows what learning concepts have been included in the lessons you ve done. For instance, an assignment about identifying the word that belonged in the word family amounted to selecting which word had the same ending as tin bin, sheen, teen, or scene.
The exact origins of the curse of the aitch are not clear, but it is thought to be influenced by the phonological features of certain English dialects. Some dialects, such as Cockney, have a tendency to drop "h" sounds in certain words, while others add an "h" sound where it is not needed. This can lead to the curse of the aitch when speakers overcorrect and add an "h" sound to words that should not have it.
Byju’s Magic Workbooks Help Kids Learn Alongside Disney and Pixar Characters
The platform combines real-world workbooks and a mobile app to help kids practice math, spelling, and more.
- Math: Fun With Numbers
- Math: Shapes and Measurement
- Math: Everyday Math
- Math: Multiplication and Division
- Language & Reading: Fun With Letters 1
- Language & Reading: Spell Well 2
- Language & Reading: World of Words
- Language & Reading: Playing With Words
- Language & Reading: Fun With Grammar
These books have sturdy, hardback covers and very thick paper that feels like heavy weight cardstock, so they should hold up well over time.
To use a workbook, you’ll first place your iPad device in the Osmo base and then place the Osmo reflector over the iPad’s camera. From there, you place the open workbook directly in front of the Osmo’s base so that the reflector is pointed at the sheet your child is working on. This allows the Osmo to “see” what the child has written or drawn on each page so that the information can be transferred into the mobile app. Kids are guided through this workbook experience by a cartoon child named Jane.
Each workbook features a variety of learning activities to complete. For instance, in the “Fun With Numbers” book, one activity asks kids to circle every number in a large group that is over 200, while another activity challenges kids to complete a maze by making their way through numbered pathways in a specific order.
These activities feature artwork inspired by Disney and Disney Pixar characters — everyone from Anna and Elsa (Frozen) to Mater (Cars) to Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde (Zootopia), and beyond.
After kids finish an activity in the real-world workbooks, they’re asked to place their finger on a circular symbol at the bottom of the page. The Osmo will “see” their finger and the app will check their work for any mistakes. If the child made a mistake, they can use the eraser on the WizPen to correct their error(s) before having the app check again. (We found the WizPen eraser works well, but you may have to press pretty hard to completely erase a line.)
Overall, the Magic Workbooks really do feel pretty magical. Each time kids make a mark on the real-world paper, it will show up in the app just a moment later, which is a super neat experience. Plus, since kids can erase their work, they can technically complete each activity more than once (perhaps repeating an activity after waiting a few days) to keep practicing their skills.
Finally, parents should know the Osmo device is compatible with other products aside from the Byju’s Learning platform. For instance, Osmo itself sells additional learning products that make use of the Osmo base and reflector. That means if you purchase one of these Buju’s Magic Workbooks (featuring Disney) Premium Kits, you won’t have to buy another Osmo if you want to purchase other compatible products at a later date.
To learn more about the Byju’s Learning platform and the Magic Workbooks featuring Disney characters, head to the Byju’s Learning website.
Disclosure: SuperParent received the Byju’s Magic Workbooks (featuring Disney) Grade 3 Premium Kit for coverage purposes.
Brandy BerthelsonEditor-in-Chief
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
Two years ago, Osmo was acquired by Byju’s, an education company that was looking to expand beyond India with more English-based content. They’ve recently released BYJU’s Learning Suite, which combines BYJU’s Learning App featuring licensed Disney characters with Magic Workbooks powered by Osmo’s technology. The app has five grade level options, from pre-K to 3rd grade. I was sent a set of the 3rd grade books to try out with my daughter, along with a subscription to the app.
The curse of the aitch is generally seen as a non-standard or non-standardized pronunciation. In many formal or standard English varieties, words that begin with vowel sounds are pronounced without an initial "h" sound. However, in dialects where the curse of the aitch is common, it may be seen as a regular feature of speech and not considered an error. While the curse of the aitch may be seen as a linguistic variation or feature of certain dialects, it is important to note that it can also be seen as a mark of informal or nonstandard speech. In formal or standard English, it is generally expected that words beginning with vowel sounds should not have an initial "h" sound. Therefore, speakers or writers who consistently exhibit the curse of the aitch may be perceived as less educated or less proficient in English. In conclusion, the curse of the aitch is a grammatical phenomenon where speakers or writers incorrectly add an initial "h" sound to words that should begin with a vowel sound. While this error may be common in certain English dialects, it is generally seen as non-standard or informal speech in formal or standard varieties of English..
Reviews for "The Curse of the Aitch in popular culture: From literature to film"
1. John - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Curse of the aitch". The plot was confusing and poorly developed, and the characters were one-dimensional. I found it hard to connect with any of them or even care about what was happening. The pacing was way off, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by rushed and abrupt action scenes. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book.
2. Sarah - 2/5 stars - "Curse of the aitch" had an intriguing premise, but sadly, it fell flat for me. The writing style was difficult to follow, with disjointed sentences and awkward phrasing. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard to believe in the relationships between the characters. Additionally, the world-building was lacking, leaving me confused about the setting and rules of the supernatural elements. Although there were some interesting ideas, the execution left much to be desired.
3. Emma - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse of the aitch" based on the hype, but it failed to live up to my expectations. The story lacked originality and felt like a rehash of other fantasy novels I've read before. The pacing was slow, and the action scenes were underwhelming. The main character was supposed to be a strong and independent female, but she seemed to rely too heavily on others for her success. Overall, I found the book predictable and forgettable.