Korean Job Discussion Forums

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

There must be some rule that I dunno about. Surely if there is no vowel directly after, I could say " a historic....", but it just seems wrong?

Is there a secret 'jump the H code' that I'm not aware of??

babtangee · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 10:11 pm Post subject:

It would be an honor to answer your question, but I really don't know. Sometimes the "H" is silent (honor, hour, etc), in which case it's understandable. "An historic"? I'm not sure that sounds right.

oneofthesarahs · Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Location: Sacheon City

Actually, according to my voice and articulation professor from college, the REAL pronunciation of "historic" is "istoric"

grainger · Joined: 21 Sep 2006 Location: Wonju, Korea

On words on which we have begun to articulate the "H" such as heart we use "a heart" on words in which we do not articulate the "H" such as historic we use "an historic". If you read a lot of older fiction you will notice that they frequently use "an" in front of "H" words with which we would us "a" because they used to say things like art instead of heart. Just one of the many ways you can figure out how people's accents have changed over the years.

cubanlord · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!

the use of the articles 'a' and 'an' are determined by the sound of the beginning of the target word. Thus, if the words starts with a vowel sound, you use 'an'. On the other hand, if the word starts with a consonant sound, you use 'a'. There is a common misconception that the letter at the beginning of the word tells you which article to use. This is not the case.

Hope this helps.

Richard Krainium · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

babtangee · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 2:08 am Post subject:

Richard Krainium · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

faster · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

In contemporary American usage, historic takes the "a" since the "h" is fully articulated.

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

This actually is the sixth historic vowel sound. In French this is the same. If the 'h' is actually sounded then it is proceded with a 'a' or vice verca with a 'an'.

shantaram · Joined: 10 Apr 2007

My co-teacher reckons I don't pronounce 'h' at all. I'm like huh? I don't go around the school going 'allo 'allo all day. She needs her ears cleaned out.

Thiuda · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 5:42 am Post subject:

The words 'university', 'uniform' and 'unique' do not begin with a 'y' sound; such a phoneme does not exist. They start with the phoneme /j/.

babtangee · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:01 am Post subject:

babtangee · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:02 am Post subject:

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

Thanks guys Laughing