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Should one us “an†or an “a†before an acronym beginning with the letter H?
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Consider the sentence:
He offered to be an HSC.
vs:
He offered to be a HSC.
In the example above, HSC stands for Health Service Consultant. If one were saying the sentence aloud, one would say an HSC because an obviously proceeds the spoken letter H, but the H actually represents the word Health, at which point the sentence should perhaps read a HSC because one would obviously say a Health Service Consultant. If one considers what the letter H actually stands for, in a strange way, both versions could perhaps appear to be incorrect depending on whether the acronym is viewed by the reader solely as a contraction or as its real meaning.
I would surmise that an HSC would be the more correct grammar, but I'd like opinion.
grammar word-usage expressions sentence-structure acronyms
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
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Consider the sentence:
He offered to be an HSC.
vs:
He offered to be a HSC.
In the example above, HSC stands for Health Service Consultant. If one were saying the sentence aloud, one would say an HSC because an obviously proceeds the spoken letter H, but the H actually represents the word Health, at which point the sentence should perhaps read a HSC because one would obviously say a Health Service Consultant. If one considers what the letter H actually stands for, in a strange way, both versions could perhaps appear to be incorrect depending on whether the acronym is viewed by the reader solely as a contraction or as its real meaning.
I would surmise that an HSC would be the more correct grammar, but I'd like opinion.
grammar word-usage expressions sentence-structure acronyms
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
4
The only thing that counts is how it is pronounced. What word any given letter represents is irrelevant, and so is what that word means, how long it is, whether it's a noun or a verb, or what color the speaker's eyes are. A before spoken consonants, an before spoken vowels, like the vowel at the beginning of /eitʃ/.
– John Lawler
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Consider the sentence:
He offered to be an HSC.
vs:
He offered to be a HSC.
In the example above, HSC stands for Health Service Consultant. If one were saying the sentence aloud, one would say an HSC because an obviously proceeds the spoken letter H, but the H actually represents the word Health, at which point the sentence should perhaps read a HSC because one would obviously say a Health Service Consultant. If one considers what the letter H actually stands for, in a strange way, both versions could perhaps appear to be incorrect depending on whether the acronym is viewed by the reader solely as a contraction or as its real meaning.
I would surmise that an HSC would be the more correct grammar, but I'd like opinion.
grammar word-usage expressions sentence-structure acronyms
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
Consider the sentence:
He offered to be an HSC.
vs:
He offered to be a HSC.
In the example above, HSC stands for Health Service Consultant. If one were saying the sentence aloud, one would say an HSC because an obviously proceeds the spoken letter H, but the H actually represents the word Health, at which point the sentence should perhaps read a HSC because one would obviously say a Health Service Consultant. If one considers what the letter H actually stands for, in a strange way, both versions could perhaps appear to be incorrect depending on whether the acronym is viewed by the reader solely as a contraction or as its real meaning.
I would surmise that an HSC would be the more correct grammar, but I'd like opinion.
grammar word-usage expressions sentence-structure acronyms
grammar word-usage expressions sentence-structure acronyms
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
edited 1 hour ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,40311949
9,40311949
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
asked 2 hours ago
rwb
313
313
4
The only thing that counts is how it is pronounced. What word any given letter represents is irrelevant, and so is what that word means, how long it is, whether it's a noun or a verb, or what color the speaker's eyes are. A before spoken consonants, an before spoken vowels, like the vowel at the beginning of /eitʃ/.
– John Lawler
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
4
The only thing that counts is how it is pronounced. What word any given letter represents is irrelevant, and so is what that word means, how long it is, whether it's a noun or a verb, or what color the speaker's eyes are. A before spoken consonants, an before spoken vowels, like the vowel at the beginning of /eitʃ/.
– John Lawler
1 hour ago
4
4
The only thing that counts is how it is pronounced. What word any given letter represents is irrelevant, and so is what that word means, how long it is, whether it's a noun or a verb, or what color the speaker's eyes are. A before spoken consonants, an before spoken vowels, like the vowel at the beginning of /eitʃ/.
– John Lawler
1 hour ago
The only thing that counts is how it is pronounced. What word any given letter represents is irrelevant, and so is what that word means, how long it is, whether it's a noun or a verb, or what color the speaker's eyes are. A before spoken consonants, an before spoken vowels, like the vowel at the beginning of /eitʃ/.
– John Lawler
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
Pronunciation of the following sound is the only thing that dictates the use of a vs. an: vowel sounds get "an," consonants get "a." In particular, in the case of initialisms, what matters is how the letter is pronounced, not whether the letter represents a vowel or consonant sound. The letter "h" (usually) represents a consonant sound (though it is often silent - whether you say "a herb" or "an herb" depends on whether you pronounce the "h" in your dialect), but when we say "h" we're really saying something along the lines of "aitch," which begins with a vowel sound (EDIT: see comments, this appears to not always be the case, but in either case you'd use whatever's appropriate for the sound).
Therefore, you'd say "an HSC."
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
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Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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2
FWIW, in England, it is pronounced "haitch", so you may want an "a".
– Ian MacDonald
1 hour ago
1
In England haitch (rather than aitch) used to be seen as being regional or more 'common.' (And haitch is becoming more common now, but it's not the primary pronunciation dictionaries give... yet.) Also in the north of Ireland, the pronunciation of H is still considered by some to indicate either Protestant or Catholic upbringing - haitch for Catholics, aitch for Protestants. (Haitch generally prevails in the rest of the island.) Here's a BBC article on the subject.
– tmgr
46 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
As several people have already stated, in both speech and writing, the only thing that matters is how the writer/speaker would pronounce the sound that follows the indefinite article. If that sound is pronounced as a vowel, it should be 'an', and if it is pronounced as a consonant, it should be 'a'.
Now we apply that rule to your case. In American English as well as in standard UK English, the 'H' in HSC is pronounced 'aitch'. That begins with a vowel sound, and so should be preceded by 'an'. Thus, it should be written as
He offered to be an HSC.
However, as Ian MacDonald and tmgr have pointed out (and which this article confirms), in the UK, people increasingly pronounce 'H' as 'haitch'. For such speakers, it would be written as
He offered to be a HSC.
Here is how this is explained in the Chicago Manual of Style:
(begin quote)
7.33: “A†and “an†before abbreviations, symbols, and numerals
Before an abbreviation, a symbol, or a numeral, the use of a or an depends on (or, conversely, determines) how the term is pronounced. In the first example below, “MS†would be pronounced em ess; in the second, it would be pronounced manuscript. In the last two examples, “007†would be pronounced oh oh seven and double oh seven, respectively.
an MS treatment (a treatment for multiple sclerosis)
a MS in the National Library
an NBC anchor
a CBS anchor
a URL
an @ sign
an 800 number
an 007 field (in a library catalog)
a 007-style agent
10.9: “A,†“an,†or “the†preceding an abbreviation
When an abbreviation follows an indefinite article, the choice of a or an is determined by the way the abbreviation would be read aloud. Acronyms are read as words and are rarely preceded by a, an, or the (“member nations of NATOâ€Â), except when used adjectivally (“a NATO initiativeâ€Â; “the NATO meetingâ€Â). See 10.2; see also 7.33.
an HMO
a UFO
a NATO member
a LOOM parade
an AA meeting
a AA battery (pronounced double A)
an NAACP convention
an NBA coach
an HIV test
an MS symptom (a symptom of multiple sclerosis)
but
a MS by... (would be read as a manuscript by...)
Initialisms, which are read as a series of letters, are often preceded by a definite article (“member nations of the EUâ€Â). Whether to include the article may depend on established usage. For example, one would refer to the NBA and the NAACP, on the one hand, but to W3C, PBS, and NATO, on the other—though all these organizations include the definite article in spelled-out form. If no established usage can be determined, use the definite article if it would be used with the spelled-out form. Some terms, such as DIY (do it yourself), do not ordinarily require a definite article in spelled-out form and therefore do not require one as an initialism.
(end quote)
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
My favourite pair:
– CCTO
1 min ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
Pronunciation of the following sound is the only thing that dictates the use of a vs. an: vowel sounds get "an," consonants get "a." In particular, in the case of initialisms, what matters is how the letter is pronounced, not whether the letter represents a vowel or consonant sound. The letter "h" (usually) represents a consonant sound (though it is often silent - whether you say "a herb" or "an herb" depends on whether you pronounce the "h" in your dialect), but when we say "h" we're really saying something along the lines of "aitch," which begins with a vowel sound (EDIT: see comments, this appears to not always be the case, but in either case you'd use whatever's appropriate for the sound).
Therefore, you'd say "an HSC."
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
New contributor
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
FWIW, in England, it is pronounced "haitch", so you may want an "a".
– Ian MacDonald
1 hour ago
1
In England haitch (rather than aitch) used to be seen as being regional or more 'common.' (And haitch is becoming more common now, but it's not the primary pronunciation dictionaries give... yet.) Also in the north of Ireland, the pronunciation of H is still considered by some to indicate either Protestant or Catholic upbringing - haitch for Catholics, aitch for Protestants. (Haitch generally prevails in the rest of the island.) Here's a BBC article on the subject.
– tmgr
46 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Pronunciation of the following sound is the only thing that dictates the use of a vs. an: vowel sounds get "an," consonants get "a." In particular, in the case of initialisms, what matters is how the letter is pronounced, not whether the letter represents a vowel or consonant sound. The letter "h" (usually) represents a consonant sound (though it is often silent - whether you say "a herb" or "an herb" depends on whether you pronounce the "h" in your dialect), but when we say "h" we're really saying something along the lines of "aitch," which begins with a vowel sound (EDIT: see comments, this appears to not always be the case, but in either case you'd use whatever's appropriate for the sound).
Therefore, you'd say "an HSC."
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
New contributor
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
FWIW, in England, it is pronounced "haitch", so you may want an "a".
– Ian MacDonald
1 hour ago
1
In England haitch (rather than aitch) used to be seen as being regional or more 'common.' (And haitch is becoming more common now, but it's not the primary pronunciation dictionaries give... yet.) Also in the north of Ireland, the pronunciation of H is still considered by some to indicate either Protestant or Catholic upbringing - haitch for Catholics, aitch for Protestants. (Haitch generally prevails in the rest of the island.) Here's a BBC article on the subject.
– tmgr
46 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
Pronunciation of the following sound is the only thing that dictates the use of a vs. an: vowel sounds get "an," consonants get "a." In particular, in the case of initialisms, what matters is how the letter is pronounced, not whether the letter represents a vowel or consonant sound. The letter "h" (usually) represents a consonant sound (though it is often silent - whether you say "a herb" or "an herb" depends on whether you pronounce the "h" in your dialect), but when we say "h" we're really saying something along the lines of "aitch," which begins with a vowel sound (EDIT: see comments, this appears to not always be the case, but in either case you'd use whatever's appropriate for the sound).
Therefore, you'd say "an HSC."
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
New contributor
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Pronunciation of the following sound is the only thing that dictates the use of a vs. an: vowel sounds get "an," consonants get "a." In particular, in the case of initialisms, what matters is how the letter is pronounced, not whether the letter represents a vowel or consonant sound. The letter "h" (usually) represents a consonant sound (though it is often silent - whether you say "a herb" or "an herb" depends on whether you pronounce the "h" in your dialect), but when we say "h" we're really saying something along the lines of "aitch," which begins with a vowel sound (EDIT: see comments, this appears to not always be the case, but in either case you'd use whatever's appropriate for the sound).
Therefore, you'd say "an HSC."
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
New contributor
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 27 mins ago
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
New contributor
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
answered 1 hour ago
Kurt Weber
212
212
New contributor
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Kurt Weber is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
FWIW, in England, it is pronounced "haitch", so you may want an "a".
– Ian MacDonald
1 hour ago
1
In England haitch (rather than aitch) used to be seen as being regional or more 'common.' (And haitch is becoming more common now, but it's not the primary pronunciation dictionaries give... yet.) Also in the north of Ireland, the pronunciation of H is still considered by some to indicate either Protestant or Catholic upbringing - haitch for Catholics, aitch for Protestants. (Haitch generally prevails in the rest of the island.) Here's a BBC article on the subject.
– tmgr
46 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2
FWIW, in England, it is pronounced "haitch", so you may want an "a".
– Ian MacDonald
1 hour ago
1
In England haitch (rather than aitch) used to be seen as being regional or more 'common.' (And haitch is becoming more common now, but it's not the primary pronunciation dictionaries give... yet.) Also in the north of Ireland, the pronunciation of H is still considered by some to indicate either Protestant or Catholic upbringing - haitch for Catholics, aitch for Protestants. (Haitch generally prevails in the rest of the island.) Here's a BBC article on the subject.
– tmgr
46 mins ago
2
2
FWIW, in England, it is pronounced "haitch", so you may want an "a".
– Ian MacDonald
1 hour ago
FWIW, in England, it is pronounced "haitch", so you may want an "a".
– Ian MacDonald
1 hour ago
1
1
In England haitch (rather than aitch) used to be seen as being regional or more 'common.' (And haitch is becoming more common now, but it's not the primary pronunciation dictionaries give... yet.) Also in the north of Ireland, the pronunciation of H is still considered by some to indicate either Protestant or Catholic upbringing - haitch for Catholics, aitch for Protestants. (Haitch generally prevails in the rest of the island.) Here's a BBC article on the subject.
– tmgr
46 mins ago
In England haitch (rather than aitch) used to be seen as being regional or more 'common.' (And haitch is becoming more common now, but it's not the primary pronunciation dictionaries give... yet.) Also in the north of Ireland, the pronunciation of H is still considered by some to indicate either Protestant or Catholic upbringing - haitch for Catholics, aitch for Protestants. (Haitch generally prevails in the rest of the island.) Here's a BBC article on the subject.
– tmgr
46 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
As several people have already stated, in both speech and writing, the only thing that matters is how the writer/speaker would pronounce the sound that follows the indefinite article. If that sound is pronounced as a vowel, it should be 'an', and if it is pronounced as a consonant, it should be 'a'.
Now we apply that rule to your case. In American English as well as in standard UK English, the 'H' in HSC is pronounced 'aitch'. That begins with a vowel sound, and so should be preceded by 'an'. Thus, it should be written as
He offered to be an HSC.
However, as Ian MacDonald and tmgr have pointed out (and which this article confirms), in the UK, people increasingly pronounce 'H' as 'haitch'. For such speakers, it would be written as
He offered to be a HSC.
Here is how this is explained in the Chicago Manual of Style:
(begin quote)
7.33: “A†and “an†before abbreviations, symbols, and numerals
Before an abbreviation, a symbol, or a numeral, the use of a or an depends on (or, conversely, determines) how the term is pronounced. In the first example below, “MS†would be pronounced em ess; in the second, it would be pronounced manuscript. In the last two examples, “007†would be pronounced oh oh seven and double oh seven, respectively.
an MS treatment (a treatment for multiple sclerosis)
a MS in the National Library
an NBC anchor
a CBS anchor
a URL
an @ sign
an 800 number
an 007 field (in a library catalog)
a 007-style agent
10.9: “A,†“an,†or “the†preceding an abbreviation
When an abbreviation follows an indefinite article, the choice of a or an is determined by the way the abbreviation would be read aloud. Acronyms are read as words and are rarely preceded by a, an, or the (“member nations of NATOâ€Â), except when used adjectivally (“a NATO initiativeâ€Â; “the NATO meetingâ€Â). See 10.2; see also 7.33.
an HMO
a UFO
a NATO member
a LOOM parade
an AA meeting
a AA battery (pronounced double A)
an NAACP convention
an NBA coach
an HIV test
an MS symptom (a symptom of multiple sclerosis)
but
a MS by... (would be read as a manuscript by...)
Initialisms, which are read as a series of letters, are often preceded by a definite article (“member nations of the EUâ€Â). Whether to include the article may depend on established usage. For example, one would refer to the NBA and the NAACP, on the one hand, but to W3C, PBS, and NATO, on the other—though all these organizations include the definite article in spelled-out form. If no established usage can be determined, use the definite article if it would be used with the spelled-out form. Some terms, such as DIY (do it yourself), do not ordinarily require a definite article in spelled-out form and therefore do not require one as an initialism.
(end quote)
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
My favourite pair:
– CCTO
1 min ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
As several people have already stated, in both speech and writing, the only thing that matters is how the writer/speaker would pronounce the sound that follows the indefinite article. If that sound is pronounced as a vowel, it should be 'an', and if it is pronounced as a consonant, it should be 'a'.
Now we apply that rule to your case. In American English as well as in standard UK English, the 'H' in HSC is pronounced 'aitch'. That begins with a vowel sound, and so should be preceded by 'an'. Thus, it should be written as
He offered to be an HSC.
However, as Ian MacDonald and tmgr have pointed out (and which this article confirms), in the UK, people increasingly pronounce 'H' as 'haitch'. For such speakers, it would be written as
He offered to be a HSC.
Here is how this is explained in the Chicago Manual of Style:
(begin quote)
7.33: “A†and “an†before abbreviations, symbols, and numerals
Before an abbreviation, a symbol, or a numeral, the use of a or an depends on (or, conversely, determines) how the term is pronounced. In the first example below, “MS†would be pronounced em ess; in the second, it would be pronounced manuscript. In the last two examples, “007†would be pronounced oh oh seven and double oh seven, respectively.
an MS treatment (a treatment for multiple sclerosis)
a MS in the National Library
an NBC anchor
a CBS anchor
a URL
an @ sign
an 800 number
an 007 field (in a library catalog)
a 007-style agent
10.9: “A,†“an,†or “the†preceding an abbreviation
When an abbreviation follows an indefinite article, the choice of a or an is determined by the way the abbreviation would be read aloud. Acronyms are read as words and are rarely preceded by a, an, or the (“member nations of NATOâ€Â), except when used adjectivally (“a NATO initiativeâ€Â; “the NATO meetingâ€Â). See 10.2; see also 7.33.
an HMO
a UFO
a NATO member
a LOOM parade
an AA meeting
a AA battery (pronounced double A)
an NAACP convention
an NBA coach
an HIV test
an MS symptom (a symptom of multiple sclerosis)
but
a MS by... (would be read as a manuscript by...)
Initialisms, which are read as a series of letters, are often preceded by a definite article (“member nations of the EUâ€Â). Whether to include the article may depend on established usage. For example, one would refer to the NBA and the NAACP, on the one hand, but to W3C, PBS, and NATO, on the other—though all these organizations include the definite article in spelled-out form. If no established usage can be determined, use the definite article if it would be used with the spelled-out form. Some terms, such as DIY (do it yourself), do not ordinarily require a definite article in spelled-out form and therefore do not require one as an initialism.
(end quote)
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
My favourite pair:
– CCTO
1 min ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
As several people have already stated, in both speech and writing, the only thing that matters is how the writer/speaker would pronounce the sound that follows the indefinite article. If that sound is pronounced as a vowel, it should be 'an', and if it is pronounced as a consonant, it should be 'a'.
Now we apply that rule to your case. In American English as well as in standard UK English, the 'H' in HSC is pronounced 'aitch'. That begins with a vowel sound, and so should be preceded by 'an'. Thus, it should be written as
He offered to be an HSC.
However, as Ian MacDonald and tmgr have pointed out (and which this article confirms), in the UK, people increasingly pronounce 'H' as 'haitch'. For such speakers, it would be written as
He offered to be a HSC.
Here is how this is explained in the Chicago Manual of Style:
(begin quote)
7.33: “A†and “an†before abbreviations, symbols, and numerals
Before an abbreviation, a symbol, or a numeral, the use of a or an depends on (or, conversely, determines) how the term is pronounced. In the first example below, “MS†would be pronounced em ess; in the second, it would be pronounced manuscript. In the last two examples, “007†would be pronounced oh oh seven and double oh seven, respectively.
an MS treatment (a treatment for multiple sclerosis)
a MS in the National Library
an NBC anchor
a CBS anchor
a URL
an @ sign
an 800 number
an 007 field (in a library catalog)
a 007-style agent
10.9: “A,†“an,†or “the†preceding an abbreviation
When an abbreviation follows an indefinite article, the choice of a or an is determined by the way the abbreviation would be read aloud. Acronyms are read as words and are rarely preceded by a, an, or the (“member nations of NATOâ€Â), except when used adjectivally (“a NATO initiativeâ€Â; “the NATO meetingâ€Â). See 10.2; see also 7.33.
an HMO
a UFO
a NATO member
a LOOM parade
an AA meeting
a AA battery (pronounced double A)
an NAACP convention
an NBA coach
an HIV test
an MS symptom (a symptom of multiple sclerosis)
but
a MS by... (would be read as a manuscript by...)
Initialisms, which are read as a series of letters, are often preceded by a definite article (“member nations of the EUâ€Â). Whether to include the article may depend on established usage. For example, one would refer to the NBA and the NAACP, on the one hand, but to W3C, PBS, and NATO, on the other—though all these organizations include the definite article in spelled-out form. If no established usage can be determined, use the definite article if it would be used with the spelled-out form. Some terms, such as DIY (do it yourself), do not ordinarily require a definite article in spelled-out form and therefore do not require one as an initialism.
(end quote)
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
As several people have already stated, in both speech and writing, the only thing that matters is how the writer/speaker would pronounce the sound that follows the indefinite article. If that sound is pronounced as a vowel, it should be 'an', and if it is pronounced as a consonant, it should be 'a'.
Now we apply that rule to your case. In American English as well as in standard UK English, the 'H' in HSC is pronounced 'aitch'. That begins with a vowel sound, and so should be preceded by 'an'. Thus, it should be written as
He offered to be an HSC.
However, as Ian MacDonald and tmgr have pointed out (and which this article confirms), in the UK, people increasingly pronounce 'H' as 'haitch'. For such speakers, it would be written as
He offered to be a HSC.
Here is how this is explained in the Chicago Manual of Style:
(begin quote)
7.33: “A†and “an†before abbreviations, symbols, and numerals
Before an abbreviation, a symbol, or a numeral, the use of a or an depends on (or, conversely, determines) how the term is pronounced. In the first example below, “MS†would be pronounced em ess; in the second, it would be pronounced manuscript. In the last two examples, “007†would be pronounced oh oh seven and double oh seven, respectively.
an MS treatment (a treatment for multiple sclerosis)
a MS in the National Library
an NBC anchor
a CBS anchor
a URL
an @ sign
an 800 number
an 007 field (in a library catalog)
a 007-style agent
10.9: “A,†“an,†or “the†preceding an abbreviation
When an abbreviation follows an indefinite article, the choice of a or an is determined by the way the abbreviation would be read aloud. Acronyms are read as words and are rarely preceded by a, an, or the (“member nations of NATOâ€Â), except when used adjectivally (“a NATO initiativeâ€Â; “the NATO meetingâ€Â). See 10.2; see also 7.33.
an HMO
a UFO
a NATO member
a LOOM parade
an AA meeting
a AA battery (pronounced double A)
an NAACP convention
an NBA coach
an HIV test
an MS symptom (a symptom of multiple sclerosis)
but
a MS by... (would be read as a manuscript by...)
Initialisms, which are read as a series of letters, are often preceded by a definite article (“member nations of the EUâ€Â). Whether to include the article may depend on established usage. For example, one would refer to the NBA and the NAACP, on the one hand, but to W3C, PBS, and NATO, on the other—though all these organizations include the definite article in spelled-out form. If no established usage can be determined, use the definite article if it would be used with the spelled-out form. Some terms, such as DIY (do it yourself), do not ordinarily require a definite article in spelled-out form and therefore do not require one as an initialism.
(end quote)
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
edited 19 mins ago
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
answered 1 hour ago
linguisticturn
3,717930
3,717930
My favourite pair:
– CCTO
1 min ago
add a comment |Â
My favourite pair:
– CCTO
1 min ago
My favourite pair:
– CCTO
1 min ago
My favourite pair:
– CCTO
1 min ago
add a comment |Â
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4
The only thing that counts is how it is pronounced. What word any given letter represents is irrelevant, and so is what that word means, how long it is, whether it's a noun or a verb, or what color the speaker's eyes are. A before spoken consonants, an before spoken vowels, like the vowel at the beginning of /eitʃ/.
– John Lawler
1 hour ago