Mean
Grammar Lesson: Mom, I’ve decided to get a MFA!
Chris Higgs’ post schooled me on the proper use of the apostrophe after singular nouns that end in ‘s’ to show possession, so I figured I’d post my own grammar lesson.
From The OWL@Purdue:
Note: The choice of article is actually based upon the phonetic (sound) quality of the first letter in a word, not on the orthographic (written) representation of the letter. If the first letter makes a vowel-type sound, you use “an”; if the first letter would make a consonant-type sound, you use “a.” So, if you consider the rule from a phonetic perspective, there aren’t any exceptions. Since the ‘h’ hasn’t any phonetic representation, no audible sound, in the first exception, the sound that follows the article is a vowel; consequently, ‘an’ is used. In the second exception, the word-initial ‘y’ sound (unicorn) is actually a glide [j] phonetically, which has consonantal properties; consequently, it is treated as a consonant, requiring ‘a’.
Folks, please do not write the article ‘a’ before the acronym ‘MFA.’ If you do that, then I will think you went to a low-ranked MFA program. Not your fault, though; you didn’t know any better. If you’d rather not worry about the a/an thing, you’re perfectly welcome to write out in full that you received a Master of Fine Arts, as I will do when I apply for a job at Half Price Books this Spring once my contract is up at the university.
Or you can just skip over the whole confusing mess and either a) study writing on your own and save yourself lots of money/stress or b) get a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing, thus making all MFAers on the job market collectively shit themselves. Phhhhddddd.
I’ma get a mfa
I’ma get a mfa
y’all
y’all
“MFAs here! Get your MFA!”
“MFAs here! Get your MFA!”
I actually really like the efficiency of “I’ma”
I actually really like the efficiency of “I’ma”
Ph.D. in Creative Writing.
Ph.D. in Creative Writing.
But sometimes people in a particular industry pronounce the acronym as an actual word. Like, I used to do copy editing for an engineering firm, and one of the engineers wrote: “We excavated 16 feet below ground and we removed an UST.” (UST is an acronym for underground storage tank.) And I was like, You mean you “removed a UST”? And she’s like, No, we removed an ust. I learned (after working there a pretty long time) that in the industry they call U.S.T.s “usts.” So, yeah, they removed an ust here and an ust there. Now, there are also LUSTs–leaking underground storage tanks. So she could have written “We excavated 16 feet below ground and we removed a LUST” and I wouldn’t have batted an eye.
But sometimes people in a particular industry pronounce the acronym as an actual word. Like, I used to do copy editing for an engineering firm, and one of the engineers wrote: “We excavated 16 feet below ground and we removed an UST.” (UST is an acronym for underground storage tank.) And I was like, You mean you “removed a UST”? And she’s like, No, we removed an ust. I learned (after working there a pretty long time) that in the industry they call U.S.T.s “usts.” So, yeah, they removed an ust here and an ust there. Now, there are also LUSTs–leaking underground storage tanks. So she could have written “We excavated 16 feet below ground and we removed a LUST” and I wouldn’t have batted an eye.
Wish somebody would remove my leaking underground storage tank.
Wish somebody would remove my leaking underground storage tank.
Because I knew they called LUSTs “lusts.” But I didn’t know they called USTs “usts.”
Because I knew they called LUSTs “lusts.” But I didn’t know they called USTs “usts.”
so wait, mephaw?
so wait, mephaw?
there might be some connection between that photo and leaky tanks, but i’m too grossed out to make it.
there might be some connection between that photo and leaky tanks, but i’m too grossed out to make it.
I real annoyance for me: it is AN history of Ireland, not A history of ireland
I real annoyance for me: it is AN history of Ireland, not A history of ireland
All this talk of MFAs is getting immensely tedious. Especially when I’m reading from the UK, where in certain urban quarters ‘MFA’ means something quite different.
I don’t have a/an MFA. Clearly, in some eyes, that makes me a complete and utter MFA.
All this talk of MFAs is getting immensely tedious. Especially when I’m reading from the UK, where in certain urban quarters ‘MFA’ means something quite different.
I don’t have a/an MFA. Clearly, in some eyes, that makes me a complete and utter MFA.
does the accent make it mean something different?
does the accent make it mean something different?
YIKES! (pronounced “yikes!”)
Actually, it is A history, unless you don’t enunciate your “h.”
An ‘istory, a history.
YIKES! (pronounced “yikes!”)
Actually, it is A history, unless you don’t enunciate your “h.”
An ‘istory, a history.
i say a history because i breathe my haitches, but it’s hard for me to say, aloud, a historical ____. i say an historical ___
i say a history because i breathe my haitches, but it’s hard for me to say, aloud, a historical ____. i say an historical ___
from the article above:
“Since the ‘h’ hasn’t any phonetic representation, no audible sound, in the first exception, the sound that follows the article is a vowel; consequently, ‘an’ is used”
It is the way I was taught, back in the middle ages. AN History.
from the article above:
“Since the ‘h’ hasn’t any phonetic representation, no audible sound, in the first exception, the sound that follows the article is a vowel; consequently, ‘an’ is used”
It is the way I was taught, back in the middle ages. AN History.
boy, I mangled that
boy, I mangled that
from Garner’s Modern American Usage:
“People worry about whether the correct article is a or an with historian, historic, and a few other words. Most authorities have supported a over an. The traditional rule is that if the h- is sounded, then a is the proper form. So people who aspirate their h’s and follow that rule would say a historian and a historic. This is now a new “rule.” …
“The theory behind using an in such a context is that the h- is weak when the accent is on the second rather than the first syllable. Thus no authority countenances an history, though a few older ones prefer an historian and an historical.”
from Garner’s Modern American Usage:
“People worry about whether the correct article is a or an with historian, historic, and a few other words. Most authorities have supported a over an. The traditional rule is that if the h- is sounded, then a is the proper form. So people who aspirate their h’s and follow that rule would say a historian and a historic. This is now a new “rule.” …
“The theory behind using an in such a context is that the h- is weak when the accent is on the second rather than the first syllable. Thus no authority countenances an history, though a few older ones prefer an historian and an historical.”
oops it should read “This is NOT a new rule.”
oops it should read “This is NOT a new rule.”
also, you’ve taken the quote out of context. it’s just talking about the h in words like honorable, not all. you say “a happy girl,” “a hitchhiker,” etc.
also, you’ve taken the quote out of context. it’s just talking about the h in words like honorable, not all. you say “a happy girl,” “a hitchhiker,” etc.
sorry, didn’t see this before i continued haranguing you…
sorry, didn’t see this before i continued haranguing you…
I can’t handle that photo.
I have heard the ‘kidz’ (of whom I most definitely am not one) in London refer to each other as ‘MFA’. I think they might be talking about someone’s mother or something.
Unless they’re referring to the Marine and Fisheries Agency: http://www.mfa.gov.uk/
I can’t handle that photo.
I have heard the ‘kidz’ (of whom I most definitely am not one) in London refer to each other as ‘MFA’. I think they might be talking about someone’s mother or something.
Unless they’re referring to the Marine and Fisheries Agency: http://www.mfa.gov.uk/
It quick look at books shows that the standard has been such:
“An History of Birmingham (1783) by William Hutton”
or
An History of the Corruptions of Christianity, published by Joseph Johnson in 1782
or
An history of Ireland, from the year 1599, to 1603
I can find hundreds of examples pre 1900. A History seems to have creeped in much later. Perhaps I was taught in some classic tradition.
And of course I say “a happy girl” the H in that phrase is fully enunciated in all cases, unlike the unenunciated H in history
It quick look at books shows that the standard has been such:
“An History of Birmingham (1783) by William Hutton”
or
An History of the Corruptions of Christianity, published by Joseph Johnson in 1782
or
An history of Ireland, from the year 1599, to 1603
I can find hundreds of examples pre 1900. A History seems to have creeped in much later. Perhaps I was taught in some classic tradition.
And of course I say “a happy girl” the H in that phrase is fully enunciated in all cases, unlike the unenunciated H in history
harangue away.
I still think that an is the correct article to precede history is most cases. I mangled the initial post. Still, arguing over grammar makes me very happy
harangue away.
I still think that an is the correct article to precede history is most cases. I mangled the initial post. Still, arguing over grammar makes me very happy
I know, I realized by the time stamp afterward that you were by no means ‘umbled by me. This all makes me ‘appy too. H.G. Fowler, the conservative Oxford usage expert, wrote in 1944, after dismissing “an history” out of hand: “an was formerly usual before an unaccented syllable beginning with an h (an historical work) but now that the h in such words is pronounced the distinction has become pedantic, & a historical should be said & written; similarly an humble is now meaningless and undesirable.” so, the pre-1900 writers clearly actually said “‘istory,” but nobody has said that in 90 years unless they are cockney. are you 92 or cockney? H.G. Fowler is the classic tradition, so I think you might have just had a teacher who had some wrong info.
I know, I realized by the time stamp afterward that you were by no means ‘umbled by me. This all makes me ‘appy too. H.G. Fowler, the conservative Oxford usage expert, wrote in 1944, after dismissing “an history” out of hand: “an was formerly usual before an unaccented syllable beginning with an h (an historical work) but now that the h in such words is pronounced the distinction has become pedantic, & a historical should be said & written; similarly an humble is now meaningless and undesirable.” so, the pre-1900 writers clearly actually said “‘istory,” but nobody has said that in 90 years unless they are cockney. are you 92 or cockney? H.G. Fowler is the classic tradition, so I think you might have just had a teacher who had some wrong info.
Amy McDaniel
I despise the fact that replies stop working after a while.
I find it interesting that Fowler dismisses the use of ‘an’ before historical as well as history. A historical account just seems ungainly (whereas a history just seems wrong, but sounds okay).
Perhaps I was schooled by a 92 year old Cockney teacher.
I still like the sound (and feel) of an history. It has always seemed to me that the ‘h’ in history is barely there when the word is said (whereas the ‘H’ in happy is a clear exhalation).
I may be, at this point, ‘umbled a bit
Amy McDaniel
I despise the fact that replies stop working after a while.
I find it interesting that Fowler dismisses the use of ‘an’ before historical as well as history. A historical account just seems ungainly (whereas a history just seems wrong, but sounds okay).
Perhaps I was schooled by a 92 year old Cockney teacher.
I still like the sound (and feel) of an history. It has always seemed to me that the ‘h’ in history is barely there when the word is said (whereas the ‘H’ in happy is a clear exhalation).
I may be, at this point, ‘umbled a bit
yikes, H.W. Fowler, that is
yikes, H.W. Fowler, that is
Whoa, Amy got my back. Thanks!
muffa
Whoa, Amy got my back. Thanks!
muffa
Like I said before, I prefer to say, out loud, an historical. It sounds better to me. But I would never say, “She’s an history teacher who just had an hysterectomy.”
Like I said before, I prefer to say, out loud, an historical. It sounds better to me. But I would never say, “She’s an history teacher who just had an hysterectomy.”
obviously not an hysterectomy. Not even an history teacher. Oddly, in my brain the rule only applies to histories of things (as in book titles) such as “An History of Birmingham”. I may have had the rule wrong, but it still feels right.
obviously not an hysterectomy. Not even an history teacher. Oddly, in my brain the rule only applies to histories of things (as in book titles) such as “An History of Birmingham”. I may have had the rule wrong, but it still feels right.
“An History of Birmingham” has a certain charming kind of stodgy British sound to it that I have an easy affection for. i’m glad you are so congenial–i try to reserve my grammar peevishness for those times, like in your initial post, when someone tries to correct something that is already overwhelmingly correct. like how people think “i feel good” is wrong, when actually it’s a correct use of a predicate adjective. so, thanks for being game.
“An History of Birmingham” has a certain charming kind of stodgy British sound to it that I have an easy affection for. i’m glad you are so congenial–i try to reserve my grammar peevishness for those times, like in your initial post, when someone tries to correct something that is already overwhelmingly correct. like how people think “i feel good” is wrong, when actually it’s a correct use of a predicate adjective. so, thanks for being game.
I like this pronunciation.
there was another one that i was going ot use, but i almost threw up when i looked at it.
there was another one that i was going ot use, but i almost threw up when i looked at it.
thank you amy and nathan for your comments. i enjoy reading these kinds of convos about grammar stuff.
thank you amy and nathan for your comments. i enjoy reading these kinds of convos about grammar stuff.
Ryan
Thanks for starting this. I love tossing about in the minutia of grammar. Even when I’m wrong
Ryan
Thanks for starting this. I love tossing about in the minutia of grammar. Even when I’m wrong
Don’t think I missed your misuse of the apostrophe -s- on my family name, Ryan Call.
I think Mean Week is getting out of hand.
:)
Don’t think I missed your misuse of the apostrophe -s- on my family name, Ryan Call.
I think Mean Week is getting out of hand.
:)
nooooooooooooooooo!
nooooooooooooooooo!
I saw that (Christopher Higgs’), too, was too polite to comment. Must get into the spirit of Mean Week.
I saw that (Christopher Higgs’), too, was too polite to comment. Must get into the spirit of Mean Week.