Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2004

Spelling is irrelevant in determining whether 'a' or 'an' should be
used, which is determined by whether the following word begins with a
vowel or consonant phoneme. C.f. 'a universally acknowledged truth', 'a
historic event', 'an historical novel', etc. In your case, 'a universal'
is correct.

Just say the word. If it begins with a consonant then use "a". Consonants
include /j/ and /w/. That's why we say "a university", "a European", "a
one-way street". Never mind that these consonants are written with letters
that are conventioanlly defined as vowels.

This is not an opinion, its a fact. You don't need any references.

Alan

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Alan Crozier
Skatteberga 1392
247 92 Södra Sandby
Sweden
TO REPLY BY E-MAIL: change Crazier to Crozier

Al Treacher typed thus:

There's not really anything more to say.  Your "normally" comment
above is wrong.  The choice between "a" and "an" depends on the sound
at the beginning of the following word, and not the spelling at all.  
There are some words which can go either way, depending on the
individual's pronunciations;  the most common of these is hotel.

A hotel (the h is aspirated)
An hotel (sounds like an o-tel)

So if your "u" word starts with a vowel sound, you need "an" (an
umpire), but if it starts with a consonant sound, you need "a" (a
unicorn).

There might be something in the AUE FAQ, but I can't see it just at
the moment:
http://alt-usage-english.org/fast_faq.shtml

Once upon a 2/26/04 12:14 AM, in the land of
5f155b08.0402260014.50eb0429@posting.google.com, the good witch "Al
Treacher" from <big.al@stones.com> told the whole world all about how:

The definitions of "vowel" and "consonant" for the purpose of usage of "a"
versus "an" depends on the sound (the phonetics), not on the spelling (the
orthography).  Your "normally, ... 'u' is a vowel" is an orthographic
definition that does not apply to the decision of "a" or "an" as the
preceding indefinite article.

You and I and all of us, most likely, were taught in one lesson that "a e i
o u" are 'vowels'; and in another lesson that "'an' comes before 'vowels'".
It's just sloppy teaching.