Grammar People:

[Eulogy]

...i keep thinking about "the history" without pronouncing the "h," and the image of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady won't leave my head.

[Trotskilicious]

god who cares i swear to GOD

[HorseflyKing]

Originally Posted by tcm

Ever's in Australia, man.

Okay. But still. They don't in Ohio. They just don't. Like it's not even there! WTF!?

[tcm]

Originally Posted by Eulogy

I was saying that most people pronounce the "h" on historical when it is preceded by "the." and if that is indeed the case, "an" should not be used before "historical."

i pronounce the h when i say an historical. and why not? i find it somewhat awkward going from a to an unstressed syllable starting with h. an provides a more natural transition to me. isn't that the purpose of an?

i don't know that anyone would change one's pronunciation of historical depending on what precedes it. that does seem strange, and i wonder what crazed mind ever came up with that idea.

[Eulogy]

Originally Posted by tcm

i pronounce the h when i say an historical. and why not?

an is used before words beginning with vowels, or in the case of words beginning with h, words that sound like they begin with vowels. so saying "an historical" while pronouncing the "h" is a little contradictory.

[tcm]

Originally Posted by Eulogy

did you read what followed that?

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ns/smile02.gif

[duovamp]

Originally Posted by rocksteady

so

who stole the cookies from the cookie jar

and

whom were the cookies stolen by

are both correct?

Originally Posted by tcm

by whom were the cookies stolen!

Nice save.

Readers, make sure you don't fall into the trap of "This is him" as opposed to "This is he." Also, don't forget "these are they," either.

[DeviousJ]

Originally Posted by Eulogy

I just don't see why you should change how a word is pronounced based on what precedes it.

When you say "the historical," you pronounce the h, right? well, i guess some people might not. but if you do, then there is no reason to use "an" before historical. or something.

You use an or a depending on how you pronounce the following word, not the other way around EULOGY

[Rarely]

why is this even a discussion?

A

[Eulogy]

Originally Posted by DeviousJ

You use an or a depending on how you pronounce the following word, not the other way around EULOGY

uhhhh i know. that's why i said doing it the other way around is weird. which i already explained twice.

[DeviousJ]

Originally Posted by Eulogy

uhhhh i know. that's why i said doing it the other way around is weird. which i already explained twice.

I'm saying people don't do it the other way around - whatever you do with a 'the' in front is unrelated, because you choose a or an depending on how the next word is pronounced, not on how they behave around the

EULOGY

[Eulogy]

Originally Posted by DeviousJ

I'm saying people don't do it the other way around - whatever you do with a 'the' in front is unrelated, because you choose a or an depending on how the next word is pronounced, not on how they behave around the

EULOGY

i don't think you read my posts at all.

but ok.

[DeviousJ]

Originally Posted by Eulogy

i don't think you read my posts at all.

but ok.

Do you?

[Despite]

A history of violence. A

[gurr8]

this is an hilarious thread.