It's a bit difficult to talk about herbs if you're afraid you're mispronouncing the word! Is it herb with an h or herb without—and who says? The story goes back to the Romans, who spelled it herba (meaning "grass" or "green crops") but pronounced it erb. When the word came into English around the 12th century, speakers said erb and writers wrote herb. (Honest and hour went by the same double standard.) In the early 18th century, however, the letter h became an indicator of social status. Uneducated people dropped their hs, so socially correct people over-compensated—and the word herb got its voiced h. In America, the social difference became regional. Along the east coast, where upper-class English settled, you'll hear herb with an h. The farther west you go, the more often you'll hear it without. Which is correct? Both. As they say in France, viva la difference!