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stranger
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OP
stranger
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I know this was hashed out among you earlier, but I don't know as you have explored all posibilites. You used the example of "an hotel" which to my North American ears sounds stilted and does not flow trippingly off of the tongue, BUT "an historical" flows very well as "a historical" does not. Any comments?
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old hand
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old hand
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Strange to say, the same thing occurred to me just the other day. I am an 'an hotel' person - though I was thumped on it by a Sales Manager whose wife looked up Fowler which states that it is archaic and isn't really best practice business writing. Well, yah boo sucks to Fowler say I.
Funnilly enough, though, I find the American 'erb jarring, and would probably say 'a herb', not 'an herb'. But 'an historical', not 'a historical'.
It's all custom and practice, that's what I think.
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member
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I usually say "an" if the h is silent. An herb. But if I pronounce the h then I use "a." A hospital. I think I picked up the habbit from Spanish class. For example, a feminine word that starts with "a" gets the masculine article because it is easier to say. You would say el agua, as apposed to la agua even though agua should be a feminine word. Another example would be el algebra. They just taste better that way.
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old hand
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old hand
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They just taste better that way.
A word gourmet. Brava.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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In reply to:
I usually say "an" if the h is silent. An herb. But if I pronounce the h then I use "a." A hospital. I think I picked up the habbit from Spanish class. For example, a feminine word that starts with "a" gets the masculine article because it is easier to say. You would say el agua, as apposed to la agua even though agua should be a feminine word. Another example would be el algebra.
Intriguing. I find it interesting that you pick herb as an example of a word with a "silent" h. I'm with shanks on this one, a herb, a horse, an historical, an hotel. The "el algebra" brought a smile to my face for the way that etymology can create redundant pairings - one source list algebra as derived from the Arabic al-jebr - the union of broken parts, or according to another source, the resetting of anything broken - so in this case el al is "the the" rather than an airline. Which doesn't change the fact that algebra always left my synapses feeling like broken parts in need of resetting.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The an hotel vs a hotel is one that editorial conferences have gone round and round on ad nauseum. The "An" and "A" sides equally adamant. The Editor's preference won, every time. Ours is not to reason why but to follow the Editor even if he/she flies out the window. I have to have to agree with shanks  yet again. One exception being an herb which I pronounce as an 'erb. An Herb sounds like an nice person, but would you want her at your garden party?
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Joined: Nov 2000
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stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11 |
Herb is definately an interesting example, did I hear once that "erb" was a bastardization of the spanish word that British folk (canadians,aussies, NZers, etc.)pronounce the H? Not sure where I remember that from. Feel free to shoot me down!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Allô Drum, In French we say une herbe to mean greenery that grows in the ground that you either mow or put in food. We do not pronounce the H. In older cooking shows they always pronounced the H. Then some 8 or 10 years ago it bacame fashionable to NOT pronounce the H as a sign of haute cuisine. It reminds me of the disagreements concerning the pronunciation of Porshe (POR-SHA, PORSH, POR-CHE) or the Latin C. Oooo Drum, did you win your elections? A bit of info for the rest of board, Canada has just held national elections for Prime Minister. The election notice was given five weeks ago. We voted on Monday. Final results were got and done with Tuesday in the wee hours of the morning. P.S. - and nobody is sueing anybody else (just kidding my U.S. pals, I just had to get that in there. What is it that Flip Wilson used to say, "the devil made me do it."  )
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veteran
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veteran
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Canada has just held national elections for Prime MinisterWhaaa-aat - you didn't wait for Moving Day? Where's the sense in that?! 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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 Shona! (all right, I know I am supposed to say something prim and properly WORDISH in Q&A but Fisk definitely asked for a raspberry )
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