AAAmerican Accent US
Illustration: the history of the word often
oftsilenten
A sound people stopped saying

Is the T in often silent? OFF-en vs OFF-ten

The T in often went silent in the 1600s, then came back. Here is why both OFF-en and OFF-ten are correct, and which one is more traditional.

Then · Old English

oft

said like OFT

around the 1600s (and partly restored since)↓

Now · American English

often/ˈɔfən/

said OFF-en

The story

Old English had oft, and it still survives in poetic phrases like oft-repeated. In Middle English it appeared as ofte and oft, and an -n was added, probably by analogy with selden ("seldom") — giving often. The T was pronounced: OFF-ten.

Around the 17th century, English speakers dropped the T in some consonant clusters before a syllabic N or L — the change that silenced castle, listen and fasten. Often went the same way and became OFF-en, and that is the pronunciation dictionaries recorded as standard.

Then something unusual happened: many speakers started saying the T again. Because it is written, people reading the word restored it — a spelling pronunciation. Today both are heard throughout the English-speaking world. The T-less OFF-en is the traditional form, and many people consider it more correct, but OFF-ten is widespread and accepted by dictionaries.

How the word changed

  1. 1

    Old English (before 1100)

    oft

    "Frequently" — the T is pronounced.

  2. 2

    Middle English (1100-1500)

    ofte, often

    An -n is added, probably by analogy with selden ("seldom").

  3. 3

    About the 1600s

    often

    The T drops: OFF-en.

  4. 4

    Modern English

    often

    Many speakers put the T back as a spelling pronunciation.

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Questions people ask

+Is the T in often silent?

Traditionally, yes: OFF-en. But many speakers pronounce the T, and dictionaries list both.

+Which is correct, OFF-en or OFF-ten?

Both are accepted. OFF-en is the older standard; OFF-ten is a spelling pronunciation that has become very common.

More words with a story

castleKASS-ul

Castle comes from Latin castellum, and the T was once pronounced. English dropped it around the 1600s — the same change that silenced listen.

fastenFASS-en

Fasten is built from fast, as in "hold fast", and the T was once said. Here is how it went silent, and why fast and fasten no longer match.

ChristmasKRISS-muss

Christmas is Christ's mass — Old English Cristes mæsse. Here is why the T went silent and why the "eye" of Christ became the short "i" of Christmas.

Part of

Is the T in often silent? OFF-en vs OFF-ten