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In order to specify whether a or an, I need to know whether the articulation is with [ar] like vowel sound or [r] like consonant sound. So is RHS a vowel or a consonant sounding in the initial? So a RHS or an RHS?

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    What is RHS? Is this an onomatopoeic exclamation? The initials of an organization?
    – choster
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:25
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    acronyms aren't words per se. But if this represents a thing, I'd say "an RHS" because "a RHS" the "a" is going to get slurred into it.
    – developerwjk
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:27
  • @choster abbreviation for a technical system such as a removal heat system (RHS) :)
    – hhh
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:28
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    You will need to use an before RHS because of its pronunciation (Are-Eh-Ess). The best hint for this will be "an hour"
    – R.S.
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:32
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    What! {Removal heat system} I presumed you were taking about the Royal Horticultural Society or even right-hand side (I'm pretty sure they'd use an an). On a different note, you should be careful using acronym to refer to RHS, if it were an acronym it would be pronounce arse, like NASA, while RHS is an initialism because you pronounce each letter independently.
    – BladorthinTheGrey
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:35

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You should say an RHS because it is spoken out loud as [Are-Aitch-Ess] with initials. Sometimes, people say acronyms differently but apparently not here like FAG '[Ef Ei Ge]' (an FAG) or '[F \ae g]' (a FAG).

RHS could stand for Royal Horticultural Society and Removal Heat System.

Related

  1. Pronouncing acronyms

  2. Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms?

  3. General rule for pronouncing initialisms?

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    [Are-Eh-Ess] sounds more like RAS surely it should be spelled Aitch (or Haitch as some insist)
    – BladorthinTheGrey
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:42
  • @suməlic Changed.
    – BladorthinTheGrey
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:46
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    Definitely an. An RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) employee informed me that the best time for planting chrysanthemums is April or May.
    – WS2
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 22:50

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