Comments That Don't Warrant A Thread

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Originally Posted by inudesu

According to this site, I guess the key is how you pronounce "historical." I think it should be an historical but I could see where someone who regularly drops their h's would say it the other way (British accent?).

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/esliart.html

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Even better link!

http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/drgw007.html

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Originally Posted by inudesu

According to this site, I guess the key is how you pronounce "historical." I think it should be an historical but I could see where someone who regularly drops their h's would say it the other way (British accent?).

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/esliart.html

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I edited my previous post. Please re-read. Yes, definately an 'istorical across the pond.

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Originally Posted by maddawg

The above post is written mostly to aggrevate Inudesu.

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Worked.

I'll return the favor by directing you to this thread, which features one of your favorite people performing his job at the usual level of competency.

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Originally Posted by maddawg

Was the BHO thing yesterday a historical moment or an historical moment? I've seen and heard both. Grammar police?

Found it! an goes before words beginning with a vowel ( I knew that one), but also before words beginning with a silent h. Since the h in historical is NOT silent, those who have been using an historical moment are dumb arses.

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Actually, the rule applies to the word that a or an modifies and not really the word that's directly behind it. In other words, historical is an adjective just like a or an and both, historical and a/an, modify moment. Since moment begins with a consonant sound, the correct choice would be a since, as you've pointed out, words with a silent h or vowel sound are modified by an.

For you Dirty...

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Originally Posted by maddawg

For you Dirty...

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I should have known a redneck would have trouble accepting the English language.

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Originally Posted by Dirtydawg

Actually, the rule applies to the word that a or an modifies and not really the word that's directly behind it. In other words, historical is an adjective just like a or an and both, historical and a/an, modify moment. Since moment begins with a consonant sound, the correct choice would be a since, as you've pointed out, words with a silent h or vowel sound are modified by an.

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While we're on the topic of our silly language, would you mind doing a little subject-verb agreement fix on your signature quote? It's been driving me crazy.

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And loves dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves

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Originally Posted by inudesu

While we're on the topic of our silly language, would you mind doing a little subject-verb agreement fix on your signature quote? It's been driving me crazy.

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I didn't even really read it. Apparently, the site I copied and pasted from didn't proofread it either. Done.

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Originally Posted by Dirtydawg

Actually, the rule applies to the word that a or an modifies and not really the word that's directly behind it. In other words, historical is an adjective just like a or an and both, historical and a/an, modify moment. Since moment begins with a consonant sound, the correct choice would be a since, as you've pointed out, words with a silent h or vowel sound are modified by an.

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is that really how the rule works? i thought the a/an difference was more of a pronunciation thing. you need an "n" before a vowel sound so that the sentence flows correctly when read out loud.

for example, "a beautiful evening" wouldn't sound right if it were "an beautiful evening,"
or, "an awful time." would be hard to say as "a awful time."

I thought it was phonetically, as well.

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Originally Posted by arkansasbob

is that really how the rule works? i thought the a/an difference was more of a pronunciation thing. you need an "n" before a vowel sound so that the sentence flows correctly when read out loud.

for example, "a beautiful evening" wouldn't sound right if it were "an beautiful evening,"
or, "an awful time." would be hard to say as "a awful time."

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It wouldn't be the only thing in the English language that didn't sound right yet still followed a specific rule.

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Originally Posted by Abominable Gorilla

I thought it was phonetically, as well.

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Remind me what you and bob's degrees are in.:icon_razz:

Actually, you two have gotten me to doubting my own knowledge now especially since it's been quite a few Stolis, message board posting grammar and shift work grammar since I've done anything close to pay attention to the English language, so I'm tempted to go in the attic and dig up my old grammar books to double check even though I'm very certain of this. If it was just maddawg, I'd chalk it up to redneck ignorance, but two intellectual stalwarts like yourselves, I don't know.

Use Google Goober.

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Originally Posted by maddawg

Use Google Goober.

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Better yet. We can wait for Aubrey to get back from his hitchhiking trip to the inauguration and get his expert input. Or, you can just diagram the sentence and see what you determine.

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Originally Posted by Dirtydawg

Better yet. We can wait for Aubrey to get back from his hitchhiking trip to the inauguration and get his expert input. Or, you can just diagram the sentence and see what you determine.

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:laugh::laugh:

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Originally Posted by Dirtydawg

Remind me what you and bob's degrees are in.:icon_razz:

Actually, you two have gotten me to doubting my own knowledge now especially since it's been quite a few Stolis, message board posting grammar and shift work grammar since I've done anything close to pay attention to the English language, so I'm tempted to go in the attic and dig up my old grammar books to double check even though I'm very certain of this. If it was just maddawg, I'd chalk it up to redneck ignorance, but two intellectual stalwarts like yourselves, I don't know.

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I'm not saying you're wrong. I just thought that's how it was. I just think of some examples like "an colorful alligator" which doesn't sound right, but maybe that's just because I always followed an incorrect rule?

Methinks we might be putting too much effort into it when we start digging for books in an dark attic.