Re: a vs. an

["Christopher" <addforlist -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

Please don't blame us Brits! :)

I agree with the 'typical rule' you cite and would personally say, with a
good RP accent, "a historical moment".

Regards,

Chris

----- Original Message -----
From: Kelly Parr <KParr -at- c-bridge -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2000 4:00 PM
Subject: a vs. an


> Can anyone tell me the grammatical rule for using:
>
> "an historical moment."
>
> I hear this a lot on public radio, etc., and I'm pretty sure it's wrong,
but
> I'm having a debate with a colleague.
>
> The typical rule is to use "a" before words beginning with a consonant or
> consonant sound (including "y" and "w" words) and "an" before words
> beginning with a vowel or vowel sound.  So why "an historical moment"? I'm
> assuming it's pronounced "an 'istorical..."  Is this a British convention
> that we've taken into American usage?
>
> TIA
> Kelly
> =======================================
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> Technical Writer
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