Brain-food

[tamaranth]

A question from a colleague got me thinking ... do you know, and can you explain?

(04:38:52 PM) geoffathome: Why does "A user interface" sound correct when every rule I know screams "An user interface"?
(04:39:42 PM) Me: 'a user interface' is fine ... because 'u' doesn't behave like longer vowels. Think 'a university', 'a user' (though 'an umbrella' -- short 'u' does need 'an')
(04:39:57 PM) Me: now let me find out why :)

Comments

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

nicely put! I'm trying to think of cases for the other vowels, but I can't. Suspect this only happens with 'u' (it's as if there's a silent 'y' at the front, as in ufe).

[nils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think this only happens with 'u' (in English, anyway...). There is indeed a consonantic 'y' sound there.

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

But it happens with consonants too ...

an hour
a horse
a hotel (there are those that argue "an hotel" in strictly written English)
a helicopter
a hampster
an honest mistake

[marypcb.livejournal.com]

an hotel is pronounced an'otel - the haitch is dropped with 'orrible pretension and the n shuffles in to do duty