Which is correct to say; a historic occasion or an historic occasion?

lanfranco

Whether or not to use "a" or "an" before "h" depends on whether or not the "h" is aspirated. The "h" in "historic" should always be pronounced, unlike the "h" in "heir." For that reason, "a" is correct, at least in American usage. But if you really like the sound of "an," and many people do, then don't aspirate the "h." Editor's note: also see Question #58029 http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question58029.html Jan 08 07, 3:01 PM

Arpeggionist

Without the N seems to be preferred among most American speakers and writers, but some proper English speakers will claim that without the N is incorrect. In fact, both are acceptable. Jan 08 07, 4:10 PM

bloomsby

In late Victorian and Edwardian times some people (in England) apparently thought that saying 'an otel' for 'a hotel' was just oh-so-classy, while others considered it downright vulgar and assumed that the big idea was to show off the fact that one had had a few very basic lessons in French. 'An otel' didn't even have the jocular connotations of 'Paree' for Paris. :) Jan 08 07, 4:11 PM

Sanbea

The correct word to use is "AN" as the word "historic" is pronounced with a silent "h" therefore would sound as if it were starting with a vowel, in this case "i". Jan 08 07, 5:01 PM

Baloo55th

Well, around here in the UK the normal practice is to sound the h on history and its derivatives. The Times English Dictionary lists two pronunciations for history - one sounds like hiss-toree and the other like hiss-tree - but both have the h. The use of an with historic is rather rare, and regarded as very old-fashioned. The Times also only lists the h pronunciation for hotel, but 'an otel' is heard - possibly because it occurs more often in common speech than the word historic does, and is easier to say then 'a hotel'. Here it's probably more due to the sloppy dropping of the h than to considerations of the French origin of the word. As with the transfer the other way of the n of orange and umpire, in an earlier age the n would probably have transferred to make 'a notel'. The English language is very flexible, and there are quite a few occasions where there are two ways of doing something, neither of which can be regarded as totally incorrect. To use an with horse would be incorrect - or dialect written down as an 'orse, but with historic and hotel it is not incorrect usage. Jan 09 07, 5:43 AM

darkpresence

Interesting answers, I expected it to go the other way, that "an" was an American usage. I'm sure I've heard George Bush use it (maybe that's why I thought it was incorrect -- another "nucular"), but anyone who's seen "Clockwise" will have heard John Cleese say (several times), 'This is a historic occasion". Was it Shaw who said something about two countries divided by a common language? Jan 09 07, 3:07 PM