Like what the title says. I have one specific thing to talk about, but figured we could maybe use a thread to talk about this topic in general.

The thing I've noticed in various English-language videos by native English speakers is that they sometimes pronounce initial /h/ as either [x] or [χ].

The latest example I've seen of this that spurred me to make this thread is this latest Veritasium video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMb00lz-IfE

Just in the first five seconds, listen to when Derek says "happens". So, I'm wondering if this is actually a thing, if at least some varieties of English are in the process of initial [h] > [x] or [χ].

That's actually highly rare, and sporadic at best. Not a sound change in progress.

I wouldn't be surprised if German merged [ç] with [ʃ] over the course of the next decades. Cedh also once wrote a comment on the Old Forum™ about how he thinks that /Vr$/ might turn into /Vː$/ in the future.

quoting Nessari:

That's actually highly rare, and sporadic at best. Not a sound change in progress.

Ah. welp.