Presumably this is because Ziz's comment in this morning's Torygraph was in clear breach of the Govt's recently introduced Despondancy Law.
The Grammar Police are also after the Postman because he can only say "an hiatus" if the "h" is silent, which it is not. (Well, not after 90 days it isn't. :)
Sam_m, if you're going to be a pedant, at least do it correctly.
Monsieur Patel is quite correct in his usage: "an hiatus".
Try reading Fowler's "Modern English Usage"; the original classic, not the dumbed-down modern version.
Essentially, it's a question of phonetic euphony. The rule is normally: - "an" before a vowel *sound* (as opposed to letter) - "an" before an *unstressed* "h"+vowel sound - otherwise "a".
Hence: - "an owl" - "a hatchet" - "a euphonous sound" - "an historic occasion" - "an hiatus"
Whatever happened to the great British tradition of smarmy, superior know-it-alls? (And that's superior pronounced [sju] not [su]. You know, the superior way.)
It's a sad day when a lowly Antipodean is forced to correct the usage of a venerable gentleman from the Mother Country.
Then again, what is Patel's blog if not a voyeuristic commentary on the creeping barbarianisation of Blighty and its people.
Presumably this is because Ziz's comment in this morning's Torygraph was in clear breach of the Govt's recently introduced Despondancy Law.
ReplyDeleteThe Grammar Police are also after the Postman because he can only say "an hiatus" if the "h" is silent, which it is not. (Well, not after 90 days it isn't. :)
Grr...
ReplyDeleteSam_m, if you're going to be a pedant, at least do it correctly.
Monsieur Patel is quite correct in his usage:
"an hiatus".
Try reading Fowler's "Modern English Usage"; the original classic, not the dumbed-down modern version.
Essentially, it's a question of phonetic euphony. The rule is normally:
- "an" before a vowel *sound* (as opposed to letter)
- "an" before an *unstressed* "h"+vowel sound
- otherwise "a".
Hence:
- "an owl"
- "a hatchet"
- "a euphonous sound"
- "an historic occasion"
- "an hiatus"
Whatever happened to the great British tradition of smarmy, superior know-it-alls? (And that's superior pronounced [sju] not [su]. You know, the superior way.)
It's a sad day when a lowly Antipodean is forced to correct the usage of a venerable gentleman from the Mother Country.
Then again, what is Patel's blog if not a voyeuristic commentary on the creeping barbarianisation of Blighty and its people.
of course, none of the above applies if you grew up in London
ReplyDeleteand that Jeff Randall article is pony
ReplyDelete@ anonymous 12.18
ReplyDeleteClearly my comment was based on euphony and no, I don't accept "an historic.." along with "an hiatus".
Stef's point is that the London Richard III would have been calling for "an 'orse, an 'orse, my kingdom for an 'orse." before he got his throat cut.
You are not "an 'ero in error" in assuming I am either venerable or a gentleman.
You missed further pedantic fun on my contentious spelling of "despondency". Oh dear...