Do we say "a hotel" sounding the H or do we say "an otel" - I know how to spell HOTEL.?

Question

If we want to use the Queen's English (English English) do we say "a hotel" sounding the h - or do we say "an hotel" - not sounding the H - please help.

Answer 1

Definitely AN Hotel as the H when spoken is an aspirant.

A is used when the noun begins with a consonant. A pig. a tour, a computer.

For instance you would not say, "A egg".

However, there may be an occasion when a noun beginning with a vowel uses 'A' e.g. A Eulogy which has the sound of a 'Y' as in a Yuletide log..

Answer 2

The pronunciation depends on the dialect. American English dialects, for instance, pronounce the "h" and therefore precede it with "a". In some British dialects, the "h" is silent, hence preceded by "an". But, the history of the word has produced some confusion and inconsistency... not only with this but with a number of other h-words.

It is mostly words that came into English through French that began with a silent h, and so took "an". Actually, the real confusion began when --in SOME cases-- the h began to be pronounced. But this was not always done consistently. Further, the tradition of "an" before these words sometimes stuck even WHEN the h was "added back". And when the accent of the h-word is on the SECOND syllable, the "h" become so attenuated (not very strongly pronounced) that "an" may still be used

Thus we ALL follow the French in saying/writing "an hono(u)r", for instance.

Dialects vary on whether they pronounce the "h" of: herb (silent in America, voiced in England), humble, hotel, history/historic(al). In the southern U.S., for instance, you might hear someone commending another as "an 'umble man" (how they pronounce it, not how they spell it).

Actually, dialects are MOSTLY pretty consistent in the matters -- if they pronounce the h they use "a"; in not they use "an".

BUT even when "h" IS pronounced "an" may sometimes be used. The main example of this is "historic" and "historical" -- where the accent is on the second syllable and the "h" is only weakly pronounced, are (though this is probably influenced by historical tradition). This contrasts with the initial accent of "history", so the same people would write and say "A history" and "An historical account".

Note that "hotel" --like "historical", accents the second syllable. Hence the h is somewhat weaker, and "an hotel" (with weakly pronounced h) will work. You also may find it used occasionally for purely traditional reasons (as with "historical"), even when the "h" is pronounced. But for the most part, "standard" English in Britain and America prefers "a hotel". (I'm not entirely certain why "an historic(al)" is more accepted than "an hotel" -- is it just a stronger tradition, related to its particular uses in book titles, etc ? or is the h in 'historic(al)' a bit weaker? The fact that many use "an" before hysterical"--a words without such a strong tradition behind it-- may suggest the latter.)

Answer 3

If you are English English, like what I am, hence the dodgy way of speaking! :P Then it's pronounced an hotel, but as I don't actually speak the Queens English 'cos I'm frum the Midlunds, I say an otel, but that's jus' becus I drop me aitches! :)

It IS AN Hotel or AN OTEL, it's never a hotel or a otel, this is because H is in this instance a 'pretend' vowel, I can't remember the correct word for it, doesn't anyone actually learn English these days?

And yes, I know some of the above is written incorrectly, that's because I'm showing my accent through words.

Answer 4

A Hotel

Answer 5

Sorry Pete is the only person who has this correct. In English we say AN in front of vowels AND in front of 'h's. So it would be an hotel and you would sound the 'h'.

But I get your point - it is a French word and they do not pronounce the 'h'

Answer 6

A Hotel, definitely.

Answer 7

If the 'h' isn't dropped in normal useage, it shouldn't be dropped just to accommodate an affected article. It is ALWAYS 'a hotel'. The article 'an' is only used when it IMMEDIATELY precedes a spoken vowel. 'Hotel' doesn't start with a spoken vowel, therefore the article 'a' is used.

Having said that, if you routinely drop the 'h' from 'hotel', feel free to use 'an', just be prepared to be thought a tosser.

Answer 8

Correct pronounciation is saying the H but many counties don't pronounce the H.
I was born & raised in Hampshire & I don't pronounce the H, TH is pronounced F and the G at the end of words is a silent G but this is because I have a very strong Hampshire accent.

Answer 9

No sorry guys, but if you are English the correct pronounciation is an 'otel, you do not sound the aitch

Answer 10

It should be pronounced: a hotel (ə hō-tĕl');
and not an 'otel (ən ō-tĕl').

Check a dictionary and it will give you the pronounciation of the word, with an h.