damnum absque injuria

11/28/2003

Unnis Torric Event

Filed under:   by Xrlq @ 12:07 pm

The Clam will be Angry happy to know that so far, comments in this thread are favoring “an historic” over “a historic” by a margin of 2-0.

10 Responses to “Unnis Torric Event”

  1. Patterico Says:
    November 28th, 2003 at 12:28 pm

    2-1.

  2. Xrlq Says:
    November 28th, 2003 at 12:32 pm

    That’s cheating. Penalty point, now it’s 2 to -1.

  3. CJ Says:
    November 28th, 2003 at 1:07 pm

    According to the Associated Press Style book, “a” historic is appropriate. I’m not saying this book is the only authority, but it is the one followed by print and broadcast media.

    Personally, I’ve always favored “an” historic.

  4. The Angry Patterico Says:
    November 28th, 2003 at 1:30 pm

    I am getting Angry

  5. Xrlq Says:
    November 28th, 2003 at 2:00 pm

    CJ: As I pointed out the other day, the Ass. Press also thinks the correct “pronounciation” of Nevada is “nevambleda.” Not sure how much stock I’d put in their opinion on anything.

  6. The Angry Clam Says:
    November 29th, 2003 at 12:59 am

    Damn straight.

  7. Patrick Says:
    December 1st, 2003 at 11:59 am

    A historic.

    Unless of course you mispronounce historic and drop the “h.”

    Is it an huge deal?

  8. Xrlq Says:
    December 1st, 2003 at 12:20 pm

    I suspect a lot more people do “mispronounce” the word by dropping the h than you - or they - might think. I’ve been doing it myself all my life, but only recently noticed it.

    For reasons others have explained already, “an huge deal” is a red herring, but “an humongous deal” may not be.

  9. Mike Says:
    December 1st, 2003 at 3:34 pm

    In this benighted land, separated from its older and sometimes wiser cousin by an uncommon language, “a historic” is favored. Unless, of course, you want to speak of “an historian”, “an histogram”, or “an history”.

    Or “an human”.

    Not something, though, to fight duels at dawn over.

  10. Xrlq Says:
    December 1st, 2003 at 3:42 pm

    Mike - the rule applies only where the initial syllable is unstressed, i.e. it would produce “an hisTORian,” but not “an HIStogram,” “an HIStory” or “an HUman.”

 

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