Don't get in an huff
Twice within the past twenty-four hours the a/an-before-h question has been put to me.
Answering the first inquiry, I sent links to two previous posts addressing the issue* and received a polite thanks in return.
Then I received this message of Facebook:
[W]hat about newscasters and others saying "an historic (anything)" on-air? A local news executive has said to me that "an historic ..." is easier to say on-air than "a historic ..." Really, I guess I can han "an hat" on it with "an hand over an heart." Sheesh!
So let me try once again to clear this up.
If words begun in an h that is not aspirated, we all use an: an heir. If words begin with an aspirated h, we use a: a hat.
But when a word beginning with h is not stressed on the first syllable, the h is not strongly aspirated, and some speakers (I am one) are inclined to find an more congenial: an hotel, an historic, an Hispanic. Both choices have been acceptable over time, although an hotel sounds archaic or stagy to many modern ears.
This is the thing to remember: Neither choice is wrong. You get to speak as it suits you, and damn the eyes of anyone who denies you that freedom. If you are writing or editing for a publication that expresses a preference, follow that preference.
And the next time you are trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored, pick an object for your anger that amounts to something.
*http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/mcintyre/blog/2008/06/the_h_you_say.html
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/mcintyre/blog/2008/11/go_roll_an_hoop.html
Comments
Broadcasters tend to say "an" and then a very, very strongly aitchy "historic." I would say "an HHHHHHHHHistoric" qualifies as wrong, even if you look the other way at "an istoric" or "an (h)istoric."
Posted by: Bill Walsh | July 8, 2010 4:05 PM
I guess I also cry foul at those who say HHistoric this and HHistoric that but then say istoric when and only when an indefinite article is called for, FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE of saying "an." Putting the cart before the orse, you might say.
Posted by: Bill Walsh | July 8, 2010 4:23 PM
If we can speak as it suits us - please, no - the nation will become even more Babel-like than it now is. I guess we are also free to ignore people who speak like 3-year olds.
Posted by: Patricia the Terse | July 8, 2010 4:43 PM
I'm with Bill: too often "an HHistoric" smacks of pretension. Very few speakers of American English really pronounce "historic" in such a way that it requires an "an."
Posted by: LisaMc | July 8, 2010 5:08 PM
Maybe I should have put Neither choice is wrong in all caps as well. It doesn't matter. It's not an important issue. It's not even among the top hundred idiotic things broadcasters do or the top hundred irritating affectations. IT DOESN'T MATTER.
Posted by: John McIntyre | July 8, 2010 5:58 PM
Bring on that top-100 list!
Posted by: Bill Walsh | July 8, 2010 9:18 PM
Have we ever covered the flagrant misuse of "historic" and "historical"?
Posted by: bryanintowson | July 9, 2010 8:27 AM
(Sigh) I'm so glad you're back, McI!
Posted by: Eve | July 9, 2010 10:38 AM
"If we can speak as it suits us - please, no - the nation will become even more Babel-like than it now is."
Oh, come on. How are we going to become more "Babel-like" by allowing speakers to choose between "a" and "and" before words beginning with an "h" in an unstressed syllable?
Posted by: Bill Walderman | July 9, 2010 1:20 PM
For me (formerly British) the distinction between "a hotel" and "an hotel" is rife with sociocultural implications. In olden times, people who said "an hotel" were your upper class, lah-di-dah, RP-speaking, land-owning gentry (no slur on you, Mr M!), while the serfs and peasants said "a hotel." I think in Britain that the "an hotel" pronunciation has gone out of style -- gorn out of style, I should say -- because it's seen as snobby.
For example, see here, 2 mins in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1oMhMwUbgc
Posted by: David L | July 9, 2010 1:24 PM
Not that the peasants and serfs would ever have cause to say "a hotel," of course, but you get the idea....
Posted by: David L | July 9, 2010 1:39 PM
I think some people would register class distinctions in American English as well, particularly with people who say "a HO-tel."
Posted by: John McIntyre | July 9, 2010 2:35 PM
Isn't it "a hotel" in American usage?
Posted by: Patricia the Terse | July 10, 2010 2:44 AM
John, it's trampling out the "vintage," not trampling out the "vineyard."
Posted by: A(n) Lincoln | July 12, 2010 12:44 AM
Just so.
Posted by: John McIntyre | July 12, 2010 10:51 AM
I believe they still trample out the vineyard in the poorer parts of Italy.
Posted by: Patricia the Terse | July 18, 2010 1:19 AM