'An' egg but 'a' European. Why?
- Thread starter BobTanner
- Start date
- Views : 1,561
- Status
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2010
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- British English
- Home Country
- Czech Republic
- Current Location
- Czech Republic
The letters A, E, I, O, and U are often referred to as vowels, with the other 21 letters being referred to as consonants.
In speech, however, it is sounds, not letters, that are important in deciding whether we are dealing with vowels or consonants. The choice of a or an depends on the first sound in a word. The sound /j/, the first sound in, for example, yard, year, yellow, is treated as a consonant. In all words beginning with eu and some with u, the first sound is /j/.
That is why we say and write a university, a united front, a European, a eulogy.
When we use a or an before the names of letters, the choice also depends on the first sound of the name of the letter. So:
an A, E, F, H, I, L, M, N, O, R, S, X
a B, C, D, G, J, K, P, Q, T, U, V, W,Y, Z
a NATO member – NATO is pronounced /neɪtəʊ/
an EU member – EU is pronounced /iː juː/
Note that when H is the first letter of a word, it is usually pronounced as a consonant, /h/, as in house, home, hand. However, in a small number of words beginning with H, for example, herb (AmE only), honest, honour (BrE). honor (AmE), hour, the H is silent, and the words begin with a vowel sound. So, we say and write an hour, an honest man.
ps My blunder has now been corrected. Thanks. tzfujimino.
In speech, however, it is sounds, not letters, that are important in deciding whether we are dealing with vowels or consonants. The choice of a or an depends on the first sound in a word. The sound /j/, the first sound in, for example, yard, year, yellow, is treated as a consonant. In all words beginning with eu and some with u, the first sound is /j/.
That is why we say and write a university, a united front, a European, a eulogy.
When we use a or an before the names of letters, the choice also depends on the first sound of the name of the letter. So:
an A, E, F, H, I, L, M, N, O, R, S, X
a B, C, D, G, J, K, P, Q, T, U, V, W,Y, Z
a NATO member – NATO is pronounced /neɪtəʊ/
an EU member – EU is pronounced /iː juː/
Note that when H is the first letter of a word, it is usually pronounced as a consonant, /h/, as in house, home, hand. However, in a small number of words beginning with H, for example, herb (AmE only), honest, honour (BrE). honor (AmE), hour, the H is silent, and the words begin with a vowel sound. So, we say and write an hour, an honest man.
ps My blunder has now been corrected. Thanks. tzfujimino.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2002
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- British English
- Home Country
- UK
- Current Location
- Japan
To add to 5jj's list we say an heir.
I have, once, met a very grand woman who said an 'otel, but there are very few who use that form, and I have never heard an 'ospital- it used to be that the /h/ was silent before words of French origin. Some say an historic with /h/ because they think that this is posh usage. It isn't- it's a historic or an 'istoric.
I have, once, met a very grand woman who said an 'otel, but there are very few who use that form, and I have never heard an 'ospital- it used to be that the /h/ was silent before words of French origin. Some say an historic with /h/ because they think that this is posh usage. It isn't- it's a historic or an 'istoric.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2011
- Member Type
- Retired English Teacher
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- Canada
- Current Location
- Canada
Some varieties are perverse about it. Many Jamaicans not only fail to pronounce initial "h" sounds, they also add an initial "h" sound to words that begin with a vowel sound, for example saying hout for out.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
