English isn’t flawed or bastardized. It evolves constantly, the same as it always has, and always will. That’s how it works. Also, there aren’t “correct” ways to pronounce words—there are standard and non-standard pronunciations, and regional variations. Majority rules here, and many of the words we use today began as “bastardizations” or misunderstandings. See: octopi.
I say “carm-l” because that is the correct pronunciation in this region, and that’s what I grew up with. So there is a silent, mid-word “a,” because that’s how we say it. It is regional. Correct and incorrect don’t come into it.
About Americans altering English: A lot of American language is old stuff that the Brits have quit using. English English has changed just as much as the English of other countries. It wouldn’t be relevant if it hadn’t.
(*BTW, “often” can be pronounced with or without a “t.” It is derived from “oft,” which did and still does have the “t” sound.)