Bishop Sanctimonious the Hypocritical (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alex_antonin) wrote2017-07-10 08:36 pm
alex_antonin) wrote2017-07-10 08:36 pm
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Stupid exception to a good rule
I want to talk about rules that make perfect sense until someone starts putting in weird exceptions. Specifically, the rule that says you use "A" before a consonant (like "A witch" or "A donkey") and "An" before a vowel, like "an afternoon" or "an obstacle."
That rule makes perfect sense as it is, and is why I always get so angry at stuff like "an historical document." H is a consonant in that word, so it should be "A historical document." Having “An” before “Hour” makes sense because the H in Hour is silent, but if the word has a consonant H, it should be "A" not "An." It always fills me with rage when people do it the wrong way.
And yes, I know "an historic" is the official "correct" way to say it, but it's a bloody stupid exception to an otherwise sensible rule and so it may be correct but it's still Wrong.
That rule makes perfect sense as it is, and is why I always get so angry at stuff like "an historical document." H is a consonant in that word, so it should be "A historical document." Having “An” before “Hour” makes sense because the H in Hour is silent, but if the word has a consonant H, it should be "A" not "An." It always fills me with rage when people do it the wrong way.
And yes, I know "an historic" is the official "correct" way to say it, but it's a bloody stupid exception to an otherwise sensible rule and so it may be correct but it's still Wrong.