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English: A vs. An

365 points · 529 comments · azhenley

  1. bugufu8f83 · · focus · HN ↗
    > if word.startswith("ub"): return False

    An uber-rich man riding in an Uber installed an Ubuntu package.

    I'm actually a bit surprised by this rule. Is this line there entirely due to the word "ubiquitous"? I think it is.

    1. ExoticPearTree · · focus · HN ↗
      To keep it simple, you use an when the first letter of the next word sounds like a vowel when pronounced (vowel sound) and appplies to ancronyms too. Otherwise you use a.
      1. xattt · · focus · HN ↗
        “An MRI report“ vs “a yogurt container”.
        1. 0manrho · · focus · HN ↗
          The MRI example is perfect, but I feel like the yogurt one is a bad example given the "and sometimes Y" (is a vowel) thing, or do we just ignore that for a vs an?

          Like in this context, do we always treat Y when pronounced like "Yes" or "Yogurt" as a consonant?

          1. ExoticPearTree · · focus · HN ↗
            Because “an youghurt container” sounds wrong.

            English has this thing where you know you wrote or pronounced something correct if it sounds right.

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