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Rozarria Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

"A MD" or "An MD"?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the norm is to say "an historic" and "an hour." In other words, the basis for the usage of "a" or "an" is on the phonetic sound of the word, not its actual spelling.

So...
Going in line with this, would it be correct (or at least tolerated) to say "an M.D." rather than "a M.D." even though M.D. is an abbreviation for "Doctor of Medicine," which, if said this way, would clearly warrant the usage of "a" rather than "an"?

Thanks,
rozarria
  

Top answer

D. -- an emdee a historic -- because the h is not silent an historic -- also possible. Certain words with pronounced h can take an as well as a .

— CalifJim

  • D.
  • -- an emdee a historic -- because the h is not silent an historic -- also possible.
  • Certain words with pronounced h can take an as well as a .
  • historic(al), hysteric(al), Hispanic, and hypnotic .
  • See CJ
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17 Answers
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an hour -- because the h is silent -- an our
an M.D. -- an emdee

a historic -- because the h is not silent
an historic -- also possible. Certain words with pronounced h can take an as well as a.

historic(al), hysteric(al), Hispanic, and hypnotic.

See

CJ
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If I may borrow from CJ, we go by the sound.

In the US, "historic" does not have a silent "h," so we say "a historic."

There are some acronyms which are optionally said by speaking the individual letters. Sometimes this results in an optional "a / an" choice.
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Sorry, Jim, I didn't think that would work out quite so literally.
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AvangiIf I may borrow from CJ, we go by the sound.

In the US, "historic" does not have a silent "h," so we say "a historic."

Even though the American Heritage dictionary doesn't recognize a silent 'h' for the word, even as an alternative, I do; so I say "an historic....". I don't know where I got that from, but it's the way I've always sa
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Philip I do; so I say "an historic....".
Don't let this out of the bag, but so do I.
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I tend to say "an historic moment", but I always say "a history book".

I suspect that little pronunciation oddity has something to do with the fact that the first syllable in "historic" is not the stressed one. And because the first syllable in "history" is stressed, the H sound is more clearly there.
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Yankeesomething to do with the fact that the first syllable in "historic" is not the stressed one.
So do you also say "an hibiscus flower"?
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I'm lovin' it! This is another case of where "respected" native speakers disagree on not what is necessarily correct, but rather on what we say!

Blessing on English Forums!
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CalifJimSo do you also say "an hibiscus flower"?
I've just tested it, and I'd say chances are pretty good that I would.
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