Sapiosexuality:
That's my grouse with English. It is more about how it appeals to the ear than how it appears logically. English Language is not Logical. If the h is silent and shouldn't affect pronunciation, what then is it doing there? Why write it there? What does if add to the language?

encryptjay:
If the sound that precedes it is consonant, use 'a' but if it's a vowel sound, use 'an'.
In simpler words, if 'h' is silent during pronunciation, use 'an' for example
An honour
An heir
An hour
For non-silent 'h', use 'a'.
A horse
A herd
A hospital.

It's an honour to meet with you.
This is a hospital

I think I've heard, "an husband" before.

encryptjay:

They make mistakes, just that people get carried away 'cos of their accent.

okwabayi:

True but the BBC which to my knowledge uses the most updated English grammar always state "an historic event".

I believe English is evolving. The presence of non English, born in the UK speakers (Pakistani, Indian, Chinese and Thai etc) and youth influence in the form of slangs has made some earlier frowned upon practices an everyday occurence.

nabegibeg:



Oga the rule is simple use a for words that begins with h not an whether silent or not. Pls don't complicate it further

charlesu49:


Which rule. So for you it'll be; a heir & a honor
SmH

AkpaMgbor:

Not trying to sound tribal but I've also noticed that they are the one who generally make this error(at least on Nigerian blogs and news media)..I guess it has to do with their accent..

femi4:
That's for British not American

British: a hotel

American: an hotel

Elthugnificent:

Oga no offense intended but please don't be academic lazy. You are wrong, learn to be open minded and learn.

I would be with you in "a hour". Does that in any way sound right to you?

eitsei:
especially African Americans, you will hear them saying "you don't know nothing" or "I didn't do no wrong" when it should be "I don't know anything" and " I didn't do any wrong"

Rocktation:


In both countries and all countries in this life and beyond, it is a hotel. Trust me.

trustyshoess:

Lol it's a language, not logic. That's just how it is. Every language has things that don't really make sense when you think about

nabegibeg:


The a is pronounced as used in the pronunciation of the word animal not as in the word Abel

A heir to the throne not an heir to the throne

eitsei:
especially African Americans, you will hear them saying "you don't know nothing" or "I didn't do no wrong" when it should be "I don't know anything" and " I didn't do any wrong"

aribisala0:
It could be

It depends on the speaker and it is a phenomenon called ELISION

this is present in many laguages
In Britain
Elision may happen as a result of Social/Education class or Regional accent

There are many dialects of English in Britain and the words that they elide is what make them unique. The legitimacy of these variants cannot be impeached

One of the commonest is the word HERE


It is quite common to hear "Come over 'ere"

or 'ello" instead of Hello

This is not to say that the H is silent rather it is ELIDED.

So

Where we say an Hotel the H is ussually ELIDED

Elision could be verbal or written.

Rocktation:


Then, that is ALL that should matter, wouldn't you agree?

okwabayi:

True but the BBC which to my knowledge uses the most updated English grammar always state "an historic event".

I believe English is evolving. The presence of non English, born in the UK speakers (Pakistani, Indian, Chinese and Thai etc) and youth influence in the form of slangs has made some earlier frowned upon practices an everyday occurence.

Mac2016:
It is like asking if the avoidance of "An" before University is right? It is!

aribisala0:


Is this a problem of grammar or syntax in your opinion?

femi4:
That's for British not American

British: a hotel

American: an hotel

LordsApostle:

exactly my point, I hear things like. "an hospital, an Hotel, an handbook... And I'm like WTF, is it that I don't know English no more... What is happening

Tallesty1:
I think an is used when "H" is silent.

aribisala0:
You are not communicating , I cannot read your mind

muyiwatosin:
wrong!

okwabayi:
This also reminds me of when an English man used 'have you ate?'. Hear the argument which ensued when I told him it was 'have you eaten?'. He was adamant in telling me it was correct either way, they were both past tense and it doesn't matter sofar the person spoken to understands what was said.

I guess the powers that be [like I mentioned before] have diluted English to make it easy for anyone to pick up.

Rocktation:
I also don't think "most sweetest" is legit grammar. ....even as a slang...??

okwabayi:

True but the BBC which to my knowledge uses the most updated English grammar always state "an historic event".

I believe English is evolving. The presence of non English, born in the UK speakers (Pakistani, Indian, Chinese and Thai etc) and youth influence in the form of slangs has made some earlier frowned upon practices an everyday occurence.

Rocktation:


If you can't understand what I quoted from you, then I'm afraid, that's on you. You said yourself that elisions doesn't silent the H in words where they arent supposed to silent...So why mess with a rule which is gospel in writing and in relatively formal speaking?

Rex123:




Actually you are very wrong, so wrong that you are in a deep pit! H is a consonant, H tends to be silent that why people tend to use an instead of a! You use A for H