'an' and 'a'

[Yuki]

This has been confusing me.
Whenever I am writing something about users/units, I always want to say 'a user'/ 'a unit'...but if 'an' is supposed to be used before vowels, how come 'an user' and 'an unit' don't quite sound right?
..in fact, it's down right hard to say!
...Is there some sort of rule with the 'an' and 'a'?
...I know this is REALLY off topic, but this question has been bugging me for weeks...someone help?

[AwallaceUNC]

I think it's just one of those exceptions, I think... like 'an honor.'

-Aaron

[Loomis]

I think it's just one of those exceptions, I think... like 'an honor.'

-Aaron

Checking the libarary resources...

I think, technically, a bunch of 'h' words are meant to have "an" as well...

I'm told that because "u" is a longer vowel sound, and thus we use "a" (there are a few exceptions, such as "an umbrella").

I hope that helps/is right.

I am just a user.

[Disney Guru]

It all depends on your opinion on the matter!

[Escapay]

Any word that starts with a vowel, you mostly use "an" before it. But if it sounds like a consanant in the beginning (and the only ones I can think of are the ones you gave: unit, user), then it's "a"

Escapay

[Billy Moon]

Any word that starts with a vowel, you mostly use "an" before it. But if it sounds like a consanant in the beginning (and the only ones I can think of are the ones you gave: unit, user), then it's "a"

That's quite right. The rule is when the word is pronounced beginning with a vowel, you mus use "an", and if it's pronounced beginning with a consonant you mus use "a".
"Honor" is actually pronounced "ah-nour" or something like that, and "user" is pronounced "you-ser".
...Although "y" is sometimes (and in many languages always) a vowel, but let's not get into that.

[Billy Moon]

It all depends on your opinion on the matter!

It most definately does not. See my post above.

[Loomis]

Any word that starts with a vowel, you mostly use "an" before it. But if it sounds like a consanant in the beginning (and the only ones I can think of are the ones you gave: unit, user), then it's "a"

That's quite right. The rule is when the word is pronounced beginning with a vowel, you mus use "an", and if it's pronounced beginning with a consonant you mus use "a".
"Honor" is actually pronounced "ah-nour" or something like that, and "user" is pronounced "you-ser".
...Although "y" is sometimes (and in many languages always) a vowel, but let's not get into that.

Ah! That is the best explantion yet (and I suppose I was half right when I muttered something out about vowel sounds somewhere on the post).

Thanks, BM. You are a grammatical gem

[Yuki]

Ah--wow! Thanks you guys! You're the best(at least Billy Moon JK!) Now I can FINALLY do that english report that I've been meaning to get around too!

[indianajdp]

This is a perfect example of why the English language is so damn hard to learn...and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Did you read this reply?
Or have you read this reply?

Do you lead?
Is that made of lead?

Etc., etc.

[Sekaino Jasmine]

Yeah, I mean, this one time, my teacher said, "...and for this report, you have to write in complete sentences."

Or did he mean "...and for this report, you have to write incomplete sentences."



Messed up or what?

[Loomis]

This is a perfect example of why the English language is so damn hard to learn...and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Did you read this reply?
Or have you read this reply?

Do you lead?
Is that made of lead?

Etc., etc.

I think any language is hard to learn until you get a grasp of the grammer.

I remember a German lecturer telling us once "German is a language where all the verbs are at the ends of the sentence. So you think you are following the conversation until someone throws in a "vergnugen", "gebissen" or "getrunken". Don't worry - it's just window dressing".

[Yuki]

...this thread wasn't supposed to get this many replies!!!
WOW!!!! I guess that grammar really IS power!!!!!

[Billy Moon]

Yeah, I mean, this one time, my teacher said, "...and for this report, you have to write in complete sentences."

Or did he mean "...and for this report, you have to write incomplete sentences."

Oh, that reminded me... In the song "Love will find a way" from The Lion King II, the lyrics are "like dark turning into day" and I first thought it's "like dark turning in today". Actually, I'm still not quite sure which one is correct.

[Loomis]

Yeah, I mean, this one time, my teacher said, "...and for this report, you have to write in complete sentences."

Or did he mean "...and for this report, you have to write incomplete sentences."

Oh, that reminded me... In the song "Love will find a way" from The Lion King II, the lyrics are "like dark turning into day" and I first thought it's "like dark turning in today". Actually, I'm still not quite sure which one is correct.

I used to know a girl who had the surname "leading", so I always called her Miss Leading.

I'm not sure how that is relevant....it just is....

[Starion]

I think it's just one of those exceptions, I think... like 'an honor.'

-Aaron

These are just my observations though.

If a word starts with "h", but the "h" is silent, we tend to use an. Example: an honor. If we pronounce the "h" as in hotel, we normally use "a". It seems that "a" is used with long "u" like unit as opposed to an weak or unstressed "u" like ultimate.

[Bashful]

This thread reminded me of an interesting word play, which has become a sort of a catch phrase for me (and maybe some fellow linguists):

Time flies like an arrow,
and fruit flies like a banana.

Does anything similar come to mind?

[edm114]

This goes on pronounciation as well. If you use "A" in front of a word such as unit it would be pronounced as the letter A (such as you say your abc's). If you use "A" in front of chicken it would be pronounced ah chicken.

It isn't only the grammatical use but also the pronounciation that makes the language complex.

[Disney Guru]

It all depends on your opinion on the matter!

It most definately does not. See my post above.

Hey,

I just wanted to make a statement that you were right Billy Moon. And when I made that small statement I did not mean it. You don't know me to well but I am a practical joker. You were right. If you can't joke then your life is pretty drab.


~Chris~

[DisneyChris]

It all depends on your opinion on the matter!

I now see why you always spell things incorrectly.

I just wanted to make a statement that you were right Billy Moon. And when I made that small statement I did not mean it. You don't know me to well but I am a practical joker. You were right. If you can't joke then your life is pretty drab.

Then is this statement a joke too?