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Can somebody explain to me why it's 'an historic' and not 'a historic'. It seems to be a new trend of the last couple of years, although I'm not sure whether this is due to an increase in grammatical correctness. Incidently, my grammar/English isn't very good (I'm more of a numbers person) which is why I don't know.

I think it is because in these kinds of scenarios, the H is considered a vowel, kind of like a silent letter.

I could of course be dribbling a load of piffle! :mrgreen:

its because we're all slowly turning into cockney's. there taking over i tell thee

That's what I thought you see, but shouldn't historic be hiss-to-ric, not iss-to-ric?

Not a clue. It won't be something that will keep me awake this evening, and if it does, i'll not be happy at you young man! :evil:

yeah. sometimes words which start with h are considered to start with a vowel, think it's to do with a 'soft' h, dunno if that's the actual term - 'an hour' is another one

Well 'an hour', would make sense. I need to know this useless bit of knowledge.

Give us an S.....Wubbleyou.

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

I found this....seems that it's correct to use both ways. I think I will use the conventional and less poncey 'a historic' thank you very much.

http://www.betterwritingskills.com/tip-w005.html

Also this: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/anhistoric.html

Looks like a historic is better.

bloody hell si, this is really doing your head in ain't it??  :D

No, I'm just bored as fuck and want to argue with somebody next time they say it. I'm a pedantic little fuckwit

I think 'an historic' sounds much cooler and fashionable.Anyone who disagrees is an homo.

 :o

Similar to the certain soft Hs are the hard vowels. For example: a European, a University etc.

I'm an English teacher but STILL don't know when you can and can't use a/an with H. In spoken English it's very different, but in written English there are certain rules (as pointed out above) whereby you may or may not think of the H as a vowel. Innit.

Tears for Fears used "an" back in the 80's so you can make your minds up about fashionableness or coolness...

Is it an horrific dream
Am I sinking fast
Could a person be so mean
As to laugh and laugh
On my own
Could you ease my load
Could you see my Pain
Could you please explain
The Hurting

Isn't 'h' a vowel in France?

But I'm on about the English language, unless I'm mistaken and I've been talking in French all these years

I have no doubt that you were talking about the English language Simon (a fine language it is to despite all its idiosyncrasies), but my point, rather mysteriously put admittedly, that it's a bit odd that 'h' is a vowel in France but not England when we use the same alphabet.

:old: Wales uses the same alphabet however over half of the letters are vowels in welsh. Welsh vowels include w x y p q m f h and j.

Yeah but the Welsh are Welsh

And the French are French.

Also, the English alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet

And the Spanish are Spanish.

Actually, that isn't strictly true.

Yes, 'h' is considered a vowel in French.

(Had French Listening exam this morning - piece of piss!)

l'hotel de ville est formidable!!

Although Juventus is an italian team, J is not in the Italian alphabet.  It is an imported letter as are w and y.  Fucking fascinating stuff eh?

this is possibly the most boring thread ever


innit

Actually, I find the cricket threads a lot less fascinating. This one is complete bollocks though

What is it with les français et des hôtels de villes?

and K and X. The Italian alphabet has 21 letters.

They have a load of imported words like 'yaught' that they try and wrap their greasy mouths around. Italian is very phonetic, you say what you see, so 'yaught' is very, very difficult for them. And 'Middlesborough'. The thickos.

I agree with Pieman. As dull as this is (although very informative) the cricket threads are far worse.

Not to mention the football threads  :winking: