British English Help: Usage of "An"
I need some help. I'm trying to find some kind of rule or documentation that describes the British usage of the article "an" before words beginning with an "h" that is followed by a vowel.
i.e.
American = "a hotel room"
British = "an hotel room"
I suspect that this is simply about Americans pronouncing the "h" and Brits not really doing it so much.
Can anyone find me a rule or source documenting this? Google didn't turn much up, but I'm sure I'm not looking for the right terms.
Thanks in advance.
i.e.
American = "a hotel room"
British = "an hotel room"
I suspect that this is simply about Americans pronouncing the "h" and Brits not really doing it so much.
Can anyone find me a rule or source documenting this? Google didn't turn much up, but I'm sure I'm not looking for the right terms.
Thanks in advance.
Comments
For anyone interested...it goes like this:
The old rule is that if the word begins with an "h" and the first syllable is not accented, it gets an "an."
an hour
a hiccup
an honest mistake
a hopeless situation
but usually i use whatever sounds right
"This is an historic day for string cheese."
i thought that if the word had a short 'o' vowel sound as opposed to long 'o' after the h it was proper to use 'an '.
an honest mistake
a hopeless situation
but usually i use whatever sounds right
English drives me nuts sometimes. "honest" has an emphasis on the first syllable but takes an "an" as its article. Hopeless has an accented first syllable and takes an "a." See? It's completely consistent!
I know that the word "historic" is supposed to have an "an" before it.
"This is an historic day for string cheese."
Err... The H is pronounced in British English. Therefore the correct way to say it is "a historic", not "an historic".
Also, the word "herb", Americans for some reason pronunce it "erb". The British say "Herb".
*Edited to add: Therefore Americans might say "Parsley is an erb" while the English would say "Parsley is a herb".
Cheers
Also, the word "herb", Americans for some reason pronunce it "erb". The British say "Herb".
<EddieIzzard>Because there's a fucking "H" in it.</EddieIzzard>
English drives me nuts sometimes. "honest" has an emphasis on the first syllable but takes an "an" as its article. Hopeless has an accented first syllable and takes an "a." See? It's completely consistent!
Midwinter, I don't think it has anything to do with the accented syllable. It only has to do with whether the H is pronounced or not. Therefore it is only logical that "Hopeless" should be preceded by "a".
Likewise with "Uniform" and "Umbrella". Both begin with a U but the pronunciation of "uniform" sounds like it begins with a Y and therefore is preceded by "a" rather than "an" whereas "umbrella" needs an "an".
Cheers
<EddieIzzard>Because there's a fucking "H" in it.</EddieIzzard>
Am a fan of Eddie Izzard
Cheers
Midwinter, I don't think it has anything to do with the accented syllable. It only has to do with whether the H is pronounced or not. Therefore it is only logical that "Hopeless" should be preceded by "a".
Likewise with "Uniform" and "Umbrella". Both begin with a U but the pronunciation of "uniform" sounds like it begins with a Y and therefore is preceded by "a" rather than "an" whereas "umbrella" needs an "an".
Cheers
I understand that. That was, in fact, how I had always understood the rule to work: if the h was pronounced, it took an "a" ("a history"); if it wasn't ("an hysterical woman") it took an "an." But then I found that rule in one of my rulebooks that argued that it was about primary, secondary, and tertiary placement of accented syllables.
In short, I think I managed to "rule" myself out of what I always thought (and what seems to) be correct.
I understand that. That was, in fact, how I had always understood the rule to work: if the h was pronounced, it took an "a" ("a history"); if it wasn't ("an hysterical woman") it took an "an." But then I found that rule in one of my rulebooks that argued that it was about primary, secondary, and tertiary placement of accented syllables.
In short, I think I managed to "rule" myself out of what I always thought (and what seems to) be correct.
I just go by the pronunciation. That's how I was taught in India (a former British colony if you remember
BTW, (sorry to keep correcting you) "Hysterical" - the H is pronounced. It is "Hysterical", not Ysterical", therefore preceded by "a", not "an".
Cheers
*Edited to correct typos*
Wait...HEY!
I just go by the pronunciation. That's how I was taught in India (a former British colony if you remember
BTW, (sorry to keep correcting you) "Hysterical" - the H is pronounced. It is "Hysterical", not Ysterical", therefore preceded by "a", not "an".
Cheers
*Edited to correct typos*
Really? I find an almost equal number of references in Google Books to "an hysterical" and "a hysterical." I assume we're talking about RP English here and not just some random dialect, correct?
Really? I find an almost equal number of references in Google Books to "an hysterical" and "a hysterical." I assume we're talking about RP English here and not just some random dialect, correct?
Yes, I am talking about RP English
Cheers
Yes, I am talking about RP English
Cheers
Can you provide a few examples of words with a non-aspirated "h" at the beginning in RP? Now I'm really curious.
English drives me nuts
-t
Can you provide a few examples of words with a non-aspirated "h" at the beginning in RP? Now I'm really curious.
OK, I am just back from the bar and I am not exactly sober but I shall attempt:
Honest
Hour
Shit, I cannot think of any more right now, give me a few hours! On the other hand maybe these are the only words that have a silent H at the beginning!
And BTW, when you're spelling orally, the letter H is pronounced "aitch" and not "hetch"
Cheers
Cheers
And BTW for the Americans in this group, Honour is spelt with a U. It is not Honor! And it is certainly not
Alooooooominum" it is AlumiminIUm, pronounced "alumi NI YUM"
Cheers
Cheers
*edited to correct 'ned' to 'bed', I am still too drunk!