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A brief grammar query
A war is raging.
I have written "a house" and my other half vehemently argues that "house" should always be preceeded by "an" (because it begins with an 'h').
I just cannot bring myself to write "an house" because it just sounds SO wrong.
As I failed English Language (a 'C' grade IS a fail in my books), please can someone answer this query and stem-off WWIII?
Any replies gratefully received.
Thank you
(Hickey)
I have written "a house" and my other half vehemently argues that "house" should always be preceeded by "an" (because it begins with an 'h').
I just cannot bring myself to write "an house" because it just sounds SO wrong.
As I failed English Language (a 'C' grade IS a fail in my books), please can someone answer this query and stem-off WWIII?
Any replies gratefully received.
Thank you
(Hickey)
Comments
However, many people seem to say 'an historical event', and I have to say it sounds OK. Maybe that's because the stress is not on the first syllable.
Have you looked in a dictionary in case they explain it there? Or on Google/Wikipedia?
Thank you both very, very much. I couldn't seem to find an answer in my big fat dictionary, nor on the web.
Maybe I aught to get some sleep? It was one of those queries that eluded me, and was driving me nuts.
Jay: 'An historical event' does sound correct, but 'an house' still doesn't. I'll run with the "stress (not being on the) first syllable" thing...
McB: I like your explanation and have most certainly waved your post at my boyfriend with glee. He is now arguing with you though. (sigh)
Hors d'oeuvre, McB?
"An hotel" is still used on some occasions. Which to me always was and still is ridciculous. By trying to say "an hotel" we end up dropping the aitch, and it comes out as "an 'otel" which can't be right - unless you are an actor in "allo, allo" !
I used to have lengthy discussion with small children when reciting the alphabet. I insist (rightly or wrongly) that "H" is pronounced "aitch" and not "haitch" , which sort of confuses people about the dropped H thing even more. Saying "haitch" to me sounds like attempting to put on a Queen's English voice and ending up sounding like less than "posh" !
Strange language,this English, hisn't it ? ;)
I think the aitch or haitch thing depends on where you are in the country, local dialect etc.
Round here folk don't sound the 'h' in Nottingham- so it comes out as Notting'am. When my oldest was seeing the speech therapist when he was little I was a bit worried about the fact- as I have always pronounced my middle 'h's- and she explained the missing middle 'h' is part of Nottingham dialect.
So like a lot of things at various times, both 'a' and 'an' can be correct.
An editor might pick me up on it, but I always opt for what reads naturally, than what is neccesarily grammatically correct.
" 'Ave you got hany 'eavy harticles to 'old, Harthur? "
My friend phoned me tonight, and passed me to her daughter, who asked if there should be an 'an' or an 'a' before 'holistic'. I said 'a', but I thought probably both were ok -I then went and looked on the internet, and on a BBC site, 'an' was used' and in lots of other places too, but also, 'a' was used just as frequently...
But clearly, in holistic, the stresses are either equal or on the second syllable, so an would be wrong...
Lexia and Carol: I always say 'aitch', as oppose to 'haitch'.
I'm from Leicester, which is pronounced 'Less-tah' by most Leicester-fari (Leicester-fari sounds so much better than Leicester-ite, don't you think?)
Odd that our locals should add and 'h' to a word without one, where as your locals drop the one you have.
Maybe your 'h' fell into the river and washed downstream to us?
But I'm happiest with a good collection of reference books and it's nice to know the rules, so that I can break them properly.
I'll look up Noah Lukeman / David Crystal and compare the Fowler's befoer parting with "me cash".
Ta.
Two seconds . . .
http://www.davidcrystal.com/David_Crystal/english.htm
I'm going to be off now... research to do...
Thank you :-)
Liz, it could be 'an' BECAUSE the stress is on the second syllable.
Include your local library.
Locally here, (Southwest England) signing up to the library service also provides internet access to such things as the full Oxford Dictionary encyclopaedia.
Good for you Lexia! The letter H, as you say, is spelled 'aitch'. It is incorrect to pronounce it 'haitch'.
Just because many people do pronounce it that way (regional accent or not), that doesn't make it right.
I do have Fowler's, and it is good. I also have David Crystal, Bill Bryson,The Oxford Guide tho the English Language, Ronald Ridout, The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors, Eats Shoots and Leaves and William Strunk Jr and EB White's (who wrote Charlotte's Web) the Elements of Style which is wonderful, small, and cheap. Oh and the Shorter Oxford Dictionary (not very short at all!) and Chambers.
Maybe I have too many books. But you can never be too careful, that's what I say.
The problem with Lynne Trusses' book is that it is VERY correct, I'm with David Crystal - lets just put a noose around the English language and throttle the life out of it with excessive rules a la the French.
VERY correct and VERY boring, I learned more from Noah Lukeman's book.
Jan - I may have to move house because you have written above "Locally here, ... signing up to the library service also provides internet access to such things as the full Oxford Dictionary encyclopaedia."
What is this? Why has no-one told me of this! I shall be asking about it on Saturday.
What I really need is a library which opens past 6pm. There is no point going at the weekend for myself, as I spend all my time with the kids.
If I have to read the Hungry Caterpillar once more, I shall begin to dribble.
One day I shall have one of those amazing dictionaries, printed in separate volumes for each letter.....mmmmmm.
There are some, but you can always check the local council's website and look up the details there.