Questions tagged [sandhi]
Questions about sandhi, an umbrella term for phonological changes that occur at word and morpheme boundaries.
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"A" and "an" with interjections [duplicate]
Basically I know how "a" and "an" are used:
a member
an adult member
but how is the same handled when the middle word is inserted parenthetically or even in brackets:
I met a ...
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2
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A or an hexadecimal number? [duplicate]
From what I know, in English, the rule is that before a word starting with h, we use the article "a". So I would imagine that the correct way is:
"a hexadecimal number"
Searching ...
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Is linking R to a vowel in British English an intentional effort or a natural occurrence?
If I am not wrong, the linkage between words happens naturally when you try to pronounce the words quickly. Unlike American English, where the ending R is always clearly pronounced, British ...
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Is “an historical” correct? [duplicate]
Why do some people say or write an historical but not an ham sandwich or an hint?
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Why is the article determined by the adjective and not the noun? [duplicate]
Please look at these phrases:
I think it is a dramatic scene.
I think it is a hilarious scene.
I think it is an intimate scene.
I think it is an ambiguous scene.
Why is the article determined by the ...
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0
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Shall I compare "thee" to "thuh"? [duplicate]
This may sound silly, but I keep hearing people saying "thuh" instead of "thee" for "the" in front of adjectives or nouns starting with a vowel or a diphthong. Like, "thuh' old people, "thuh" other ...
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Should it be 'an' or 'a' in front of an abbreviation? [duplicate]
I am using abbreviations for well-known phrases: e.g., "Nash equilibrium" becomes NE and "neural networks" becomes NN. Should I use "an NN" or "a NN"? Does it matter whether a reader "unfolds" the ...
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Why would "an mule" be used instead of "a mule"? [closed]
As generally agreed and as extensively discussed in this question, "an" should be used in place of the more common "a" where the following word begins with a vowel sound.
I have ...
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1
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Why does reversing the rules of "an" vs "a" make speech easier at times? [duplicate]
Background
From what I’ve learned during grade school, information which can
easily be found online,
you should use an when the following word starts with a vowel:
"An animal"
"An ...
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1
answer
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a/an expected completion date? [duplicate]
Question is pretty self-explanatory. Either way, a date on a calendar is a date. When it becomes unexpected, it sounds right to me to say an unexpected date instead of a unexpected date. Same for when ...
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Does a word that starts with a vowel letter start with a vowel sound?
I'm currently learning about consonant to vowel linking, and I'm wondering if it's safe to assume that most words (if not all?) that start with a vowel letter (a, e, i, o, u) will also start with a ...
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Why is a word starting with a vowel sound proceeded by 'an'? [closed]
I have read that the the modern 'an' derives from the Old English 'ān', which is also the source of 'one'. So I guess I can see how "one hour; one apple" could work, but that doesn't explain 'why'. ...
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The pronunciation of the definite article by American speakers
I was reading an article the other day and I came across an interesting passage:
Notice that the weak form of the is typically [ði] before a
vowel-initial word (the apple) but [ðə] before a ...
- 854
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1
answer
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A recent trend in pronouncing "the" [duplicate]
I have observed a recent trend to pronounce "the" as "thuh" even if it is followed by a vowel (as in "thuh evening.") Is this regional (I live in Alabama) or national? I think it's the latter. And ...
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When using symbols instead of words in writing, do I use "an" or "a" before the symbol? [duplicate]
The sentence in question:
Every list item that is marked with an * is optional.
The word "asterisks" isn't spelled out, so I'm not sure if "an" or "a" is the correct word to put before it.
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the and thee (I prefer to pronounce it as thuh all the time) [closed]
My question is can I always pronounce THE with thuh instead of thee? Because unlike "a" "an" rule, pronouncing "thee" seems cumbersome for some people (including me)
Note that I know the "emphasis" ...
user73373
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Pronunciation of "the" before a long u sound
All my life I have been hearing and pronouncing /ði/(unstressed) in "the US", "the UK" and "the UN", but I'm not sure that was correct.
How do you pronounce "the" before a long u sound?
I searched ...
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Is the "an" rule applied when a sum of money is in between? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should I use “a” vs “an”?
I have recently seen this image:
Should "a" have been used instead of "an" in the "...an $100,000 apartment" part?
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Correct pronunciation of "the" [duplicate]
Possible Duplicates:
Is pronouncing “The” as in “Thee” still correct in titles?
What is the pronunciation of “the?”
What would be the correct way to ...
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Is pronouncing "The" as in "Thee" still correct in titles?
When saying the title of JRR Tolkien's masterpiece, which is the correct pronunciation (Yes, I know that they're spelled wrong, but I'm trying to emphasize the pronunciation):
Thuh Lord of thuh Rings ...
- 709
113
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"A/An" preceding a parenthetical statement
When a/an precedes a parenthetical aside (sometimes seen in informal/conversational writing), should the vowel rule depend on the first word in parentheses, or the next word in the "regular" flow of ...
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What is the pronunciation of "the"?
I read that the definite article is pronounced differently depending on the word that follows it.
Which is the exact pronunciation of the?
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Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms / initialisms?
99% of the time, I'm clear on when I should use "a" versus "an." There's one case, though, where people & references I respect disagree.
Which of the following would you precede with "a" or "an," ...
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When should I use "a" vs "an"?
In the following example, is it appropriate to use a or an as the indefinite article, and why?
He ate __ green apple.
I know that in the case of just "apple", it would be "an apple," but I've ...
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