Why is "an historian" correct, while "a history book" is correct?

Question

Makes you wanna go "Hmmmm........"

Answer 1

is that true? weird...

Answer 2

First, note that the choice of "a" or "an" has NOTHING to do with which word the article refers to -- it's all about the following SOUND. (In other words, it has NOTHING to do with the fact that you used the word "book".)

Second, it is RELATED to the use of "an" before words (mostly borrowed through French) in which the initial H is silent, but that is not the full explanation. Thus, as you probably know, we use "an" before "honor", before "herb" in American English (British changed the word to start pronouncing the H), and before "humble" and "hotel" is some dialects (the American South).

I'm assuming you know all this, but are confused because many people say "an historical book" even though they DO pronounce this H. Adding to the confusion is the fact that nearly everyone says "a historian" (H pronounced) and that OTHER people say "A historical book".

Some would explain this all as a matter of tradition -- this set of words is part of the borrowing from French in which the H was silent (histoire). That may have contributed. But it's not enough to explain why "history" and "historical" [also "historic"] are treated DIFFERENTLY.

The reason has more to do with ANOTHER difference in the way these two words are pronounced. The word "history" is accented on the first syllable ("HIS-") and so the H is very distinctly pronounced. "Historical", on the other hand, stresses the SECOND syllable, which leaves the first syllable with virtually NO stress, and the H very WEAKLY pronounced, almost if not quite silent.

Now compare saying "an historical book" with "a historical book". The second takes a little more effort, stopping the sound to articulate each part... which the STRESS of the expression "doesn't like". The particular following vowel (the short i) may also contribute. Compare "an Hispanic immigrant" (though again others will say "a Hispanic...")

I suppose tradition may play SOME role in all this, but ease of pronunciation is a major part... which is precisely why we have "an" in the first place! (What other LOGICAL reason is there for NOT saying "a apple" instead of "an apple" if not ease of pronunciation?)

But, on the other hand, I suspect that many people who say "a historical book" are doing it ONLY because they've been taught a "RULE" about always using "a" before consonant sounds, and not because it's actually smoother or more natural to pronounce it that way. (This is, in a sense, a bit silly. The only reason there IS any "rule" on this is that "an" makes certain expressions easier to pronounce. This is the sort of rule that is intended more to DESCRIBE what we do, and why, not to dictate it.)

One possible ADDITIONAL reason -- there is also a separate word "ahistorical" (usually pronounced "AY-historical"). The use of "an historical" clearly distinguishes the two.

Answer 3

Not that I care too much about pageants, but I think the question was inappropriate. I completely disagree with her opinion, but lets face it, the woman was screwed no matter how she answered. If she had said she was cool with gay marriage, she would have been eaten alive by the above talk show hosts and more. And she would have been praised by others, and we would see some Christians and fundies on here saying how dumb, or hypocritical she is, for being Christian and "not following God's word". That said I don't feel super sorry for her either. If you are a celebrity of any kind, and you make a strong opinion like that known, you have to be prepared to take the heat. But part of me thinks she sort of got caught between a rock and a hard spot. Had she not been asked the question in the pageant, she may have never made her opinion known. Now she's been forced to defend it.

Answer 4

It depends on whether or not you prounounce your Hs ... it's possible to say 'an hospital' in certain modes of English, although in modern North American usage, 'a historian' and 'a history book' are both what would normally be used.

Dictionary.com adds this pronounciation note to the word 'herb' which has a similar issue (an herb, or a herb):

"The word herb, which can be pronounced with or without the (h), is one of a number of words borrowed into English from French. The (h) sound had been lost in Latin and was not pronounced in French or the other Romance languages, which are descended from Latin, although it was retained in the spelling of some words. In both Old and Middle English, however, h was generally pronounced, as in the native English words happy and hot. Through the influence of spelling, then, the h came to be pronounced in most words borrowed from French, such as haste and hostel. In a few other words borrowed from French the h has remained silent, as in honor, honest, hour, and heir. And in another small group of French loan words, including herb, humble, human, and humor, the h may or may not be pronounced depending on the dialect of English. In British English, herb and its derivatives, such as herbaceous, herbal, herbicide, and herbivore, are pronounced with h. In American English, herb and herbal are more often pronounced without the h, while the opposite is true of herbaceous, herbicide, and herbivore, which are more often pronounced with the h."

Answer 5

nah, it should be "an history book" too. i think the etymology is french where an H is more vowel-y, so you should always treat an h at the start of a word like a vowell. Still, i think it fine to treat H as a consonant and write "a historian" anyway... it makes more sense in modern spoken english.

Answer 6

It all depends on the word being modified. You use "an" when the word begins in H, as in "an historian" not as in "a history book". "a" does not modify the adjective "history" it modifies the noun, "book". Similar rules to using adverbs/adjectives. When someone asks, "How are you?" you respond with the adjective, "I am good." When someone asks, "How are you doing?" you respond with the adverb modifying the verb, "doing", "I am doing well." It's almost like the English language is made of algebraic equations.

Answer 7

H is not a vowel so it should be, a historian, instead of an historian.
I was always taught if the word starts with a vowel use "an" of not use. "a"

Answer 8

History is written by the victor ______ not the loser.
+++Spock+++