An Or Not To An, That Is The Question

[sparhawk]

I was wondering about this for a long time, so maybe a native english speaker can answer that.

 

I know the rules about when to use "an" or "a" if a vowel follows in the next word, then "an" is to be used, otherwise simply "a". I was wondering if this is a hard rule, or wether there are exceptions. Sometimes I have the feeling that "an" would be appropriate even though I know that technically it should be "a", because the flow of a sentence would make it easier to say "an".

 

For example in this case:

 

A RSS feed might be overkill.

 

An RSS feed might be overkill.

 

When I say the first sentence, which should be the correct one, then there is a definite pause between A and RSS, which somehow feels like a block, while the second sentence flows much more naturally IMO.

[Order of the Hammer Bureaucrat]

The modern rule is linked to pronunciation, so whatever has a vowel sound in the beginning gets an "an". so the second one is more correct. But the older rule, about 100 years ago, is more literal, and would say the first one is more correct.

[sparhawk]

So my intution was right?

 

I didn't think about this before, but I think that in this case the R is not a vowel, but it would be pronounced like "are", right? So it makes sense to use "an" in this case.

[OrbWeaver]

Yes.

[Vadrosaul]

Also the letter "Y" in this case does not represent a vowel, for example:

 

- An USS vessel

- A USS vessel

 

- An Yankee

- A Yankee

[Komag]

Yes, it's the next sound, if it's a vowel sound, not necessarily if it's actually a vowel when printed out.

 

However, there is debate about H's often

 

an herb vs a herb

an honest person (this one is mostly agreed to be an)

a heavenly sight vs an heavenly sight

 

In these cases the debate usually just boils down to how to pronounce the H, some people use a harder H for herb, others use a silent h, so it's just "erb". If it's a silent h, use an, but for hard h's use a.

[demagogue]

Here's the most official answer you're going to find for US English (Chicago Manual of Style), but apparently you have to be a subscriber to see it. But anyway I guess everybody already knows this stuff by heart:

 

The indefinite article a, not an, is used in American English

before words beginning with a pronounced h.

 

With indefinite article (15.9): Choose the appropriate article according to how the acronym is read aloud

- A NATO meeting, a YMCA event

- An NFL team

- An NAACP position (but a National Association for the Advancement …)

Edited April 3, 2007 by demagogue

[oDDity]

It's nothing to do with the spoken word, because there are many accents which change this rule. Many London accents or Manchester accents for example, which drop the 'h' at the beginning of the word, means that they also change an 'a' to an 'an' as well.

 

I'd say:

"the man was wearing a hat"

Someone from Manchester, parts of London, or anywhere else where such 'h' dropping is common, would say

"the man was wearing an 'at"

[ZylonBane]

It's nothing to do with the spoken word, because there are many accents which change this rule.

Ah, I see. Because... accents aren't spoken?

[Komag]

it sounds like your example shows that it is all about the spoken word, or else I am misunderstanding something

[oDDity]

That guy with the stupid name was saying that it's linked to pronunciation, but if this was the case, there would be no clear rule, since there is no clear pronunciation.

[ZylonBane]

Errrm. That is, in fact, the clear rule. One pronounces words however one likes, and selects "a" or "an" accordingly.

Edited April 3, 2007 by ZylonBane

[Order of the Hammer Bureaucrat]

Some people say an 'erb, some say a herb.

[demagogue]

So the rule varies by dialect (of the author) ... which is actually part of the rule: "The indefinite article a, not an, is used in American English before words beginning with a pronounced h [implied: pronounced in American English]."

The American English tendency is to pronounce the h, so you tend not to use "an", but sometimes you don't pronounce it.

 

But it would not be correct to put "an" if the "h" is pronounced in US English but not, say, Manchester English if you are following a specific style format, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, where American English is the standard. I suppose in the UK (where pronounciation is more varied across regions), it just goes by the author, since there isn't really a standard, or you'd use the OxfordED standard (if it has one?).

Edited April 3, 2007 by demagogue

[ZylonBane]

All of which is a terribly complex way of saying that you use "an" where it precedes a vowel SOUND.