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Re: Grammar
Posted By: Ellmyruh, on host 192.147.67.12
Date: Friday, September 22, 2000, at 13:05:54
In Reply To: Grammar posted by Kelly on Friday, September 22, 2000, at 12:36:43:

> A friend and I were recently discussing the "an/a rule". He had written a letter and used the phrase "...an historical website...". I told him it should have been "...a historical website...". The website he had written the letter too even complimented him on his use of "an historical".
>
> The an/a rule, if I remember correctly, is purely phonetic. Use "a" for a consonant sound and "an" for a vowel sound. Therefore, it should be "a historical website". Right??
>
> Kel"can't think of an quote"ly

We actually had a discussion about this in the chatroom a couple of weeks ago. Being journalistically (is that a word?) inclined, I tend to side with the Associated Press Stylebook on most grammar issues. It's the worldwide standard for newspapers, and I've noticed that most publications use the same rules and ideas. According to the AP Stylebook, you are correct. It states: "Use the article a before consonant sounds: a historic event, a one-year term (sounds as if it begins with a w), a united stand (sounds like you). Use the article an before vowel sounds: an energy crisih, an honorable man (the h is silent), an NBA record (sounds like it begins with the letter e), an 1890s celebration."

I've seen "an historic" in textbooks, and I never thought that it might be wrong. However, it always looked--and sounded--wrong to me. I have decided that, until someone else comes along and proves me (and the AP Stylebook) wrong, I will go with "a historic."

Ell"Anal editor"myruh

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