"An RV"?

[Marc L]

Cousin Eddie settles it:
This is an RV

 

[AverageBOB]

Gee, Bob.  Now I understand your 1st post in this thread. 

Hey how about that! Now we can get along like best buds!

 

[Tom]

Y'all can debate until the cows come home from pasture, but it's been that way for 17 or so years and won't change. It's a part of our forum branding, and so will stay. You'd have a better chance of getting Coke to change their brand to Koke  ;D

BTW it's also grammatically correct, according to the grammar school I attended 

 

[Tom and Margi]

Good for you, 'Tom!  Stickin' to your guns!

I'll say once again ... if this is all in the world any of us have to be concerned about today, then we're in really good shape!  ;D

Margi

 

[Tom]

LOL Margi, thanks for the moral support. Methinks that Tom (DonTom) was bored and needed something to complain about.

 

[DonTom]

Methinks that Tom (DonTom) was bored and needed something to complain about.

Yeah, but I have a good excuse! I am up all night every night and this gives me something to do, but now you're trying to spoil the little fun I have here. ;D

I didn't expect anybody to change it just for me, but I can still have fun trying, can't I? ;D

And BTW, I think that's a real stretch to say "R" is pronounced "AR" when it's really just pronounced "R". I have not seen a single example where they have used "an" before an "R" in any dictionary usage note. They all show it before a vowel or a silent "H" with a vowel after that silent "H". 

-Don <"Tom" knows better than to start up something like this!>- SSF, CA
​

 

[Tom]

LOL Don, I see you here in the middle of the night, so I know what's going on  ;D

 

[Tom and Margi]

Oh Geez, Don. ;D  I have so enjoyed your posts over the years!  Here's my version of the alphabet. 

Aye Bee Cee Dee Eee Eff Gee, Aich Eye Jay Kay El Em En Oh Peee, Cue AR Ess Tee Ewe Vee, Double-U Ex Why and Zee.

Now I've said my ABC's, you're going to work and I'm goin' to sleep   

Margi

 

[PancakeBill]

Of course, back in New England R is Ah. 

 

[seilerbird]

Jeez, did everyone here fail English? The A or An rule is not written in stone, there are exceptions. There are lots of examples where you use An instead of A when the first letter is a consonants that sounds like a vowel. You would not say "I am going to the doctor for a xray". It would be an xray. "I will meet you in an hour", not a hour. The R in RV is pronounced are, so therefore the forum motto is grammatically correct. However if this place is really the friendliest I would hate to see the most hostile.

 

[DonTom]

Jeez, did everyone here fail English? The A or An rule is not written in stone, there are exceptions. There are lots of examples where you use An instead of A when the first letter is a consonants that sounds like a vowel. You would not say "I am going to the doctor for a xray". It would be an xray.

You must be using Margi's alphabet,  Ex-ray!

"I will meet you in an hour", not a hour.

Yeah, but a silent "H" is the one exception that is fine, according to my dictionary.

The R in RV is pronounced are, so therefore the forum motto is grammatically correct. However if this place is really the friendliest I would hate to see the most hostile.

If this debate is the hottest one in this forum, we have very little to worry about, as Margi says.

BTW, are you all saying that my dictionary is wrong??? Again:

"an 1 (indef.art. The form of a used before words beginning with a vowel or with an unpronounced h: an elephant; an hour." 

                                    -Don- SSF, CA

 

[seilerbird]

Yes I am saying your dictionary is wrong. The A and An rule is not a spelling rule it is a sound rule. You don't go by the actual letter, you go by the sound of the letter.


http://www.english-zone.com/grammar/a-anlessn.html

 

[Tom]

This topic has been moved to the 'English spelling and grammar' board. Maybe we can get a an one some answer there  ;D

 

[DonTom]

Yes I am saying your dictionary is wrong. The A and An rule is not a spelling rule it is a sound rule. You don't go by the actual letter, you go by the sound of the letter.


http://www.english-zone.com/grammar/a-anlessn.html

If we use Margi's alphabet, then we can almost always use "an" instead of "a"! But "R" Doesn't sound like a vowel to me! Neither does the "a" in "are" even though the "a" there is.

vow?el n. Abbr. v. 1. A speech sound created by the relatively free passage of breath through the larynx and oral cavity, usually forming the most prominent and central sound of a syllable. 2. A letter, such as a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y in the English alphabet, that represents a vowel.

How does "R" (even in "Are" where the a is silent) sound like "a, e, i, o, u" ?

                                              -Don-

 

[BernieD]

I agree with Tom (Seiler), I go by sound. I choose between "a" and "an" automatically when speaking, I don't stop to think which is more grammatically correct. I would guess that most of us do the same. When I say "an RV" it feels comfortable, when I say "a RV" it doesn't.

 

[Tom and Margi]

My sentiments exactly, Bernie.  ;D

Don - The "aaah" sound of R is what makes using "an" more correct.  It's a different sound than rug, robot, rectangle, radio, etc., which would use the "a".

I'm getting a headache.  8)

Margi

 

[Marc L]

Phonetic pronunciation of the letter R is: \ˈ?r\

 

[Molaker]

Grammar "rules" were developed to ensure communication was understood - and for old maid school teachers to harp on.  If "an" is understood as used in this case, then 1/2 the job has been accomplished.  Now all we have to do it satisfy the old maid school teachers.

 

[DonTom]

My sentiments exactly, Bernie.  ;D

Don - The "aaah" sound of R is what makes using "an" more correct.  It's a different sound than rug, robot, rectangle, radio, etc., which would use the "a".

I'm getting a headache.  8)

Margi

But to me "R" only sounds like "R" and even "ARE" sounds like "R". There's even no sound with that "a" in "are".

But I see I am outnumbered. So it should be changed to "a" because:

"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform."
--Mark Twain ;D

-Don-​

 

[Wendy]

"ARE" sounds like "R".

It's the other way around, "R" sounds like "ARE." And since you are totally outnumbered, you might as well give up.

Now, if you really want to start a grammar argument, ask about where the period and comma go when there are quotation marks !!

Wendy