Re: "an SQL" vs. "a SQL"

On 11/06/21 8:17 am, Isaac Morland wrote:
> On Thu, 10 Jun 2021 at 16:11, Gavin Flower 
> <GavinFlower@archidevsys.co.nz <mailto:GavinFlower@archidevsys.co.nz>> 
> wrote:
>
>     On 11/06/21 2:48 am, Isaac Morland wrote:
>
>     > “A MIT …”? As far as I know it is pronounced M - I - T, which would
>     > imply that it should use “an”. The following page seems
>     believable and
>     > is pretty unequivocal on the issue:
>     >
>     > https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/como_se_dice/
>     <https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/como_se_dice/>
>     > <https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/como_se_dice/
>     <https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/como_se_dice/>>
>     >
>     The rule is, in English, is that if the word sounds like it starts
>     with
>     a vowel then use 'an' rather than 'a'.  Though some people think that
>     the rule only applies to words beginning with a vowel, which is a
>     misunderstanding.
>
>     So 'an SQL' and 'an MIT'  are correct.   IMHO
>
>
> Right, spelling is irrelevant, it's about whether the word begins with 
> a vowel *sound*. Or so I've always understood and I'm pretty sure if 
> you listen to what people actually say that's what you'll generally 
> hear. So "A uranium mine" not "An uranium mine" since "uranium" begins 
> with a "y-" sound just like "yesterday". The fact that "u" is a vowel 
> is irrelevant. But then there is "an historic occasion" so go figure.
>
The 'h' in 'historic' is silent, at least it used to be -- I think now 
it is almost silent.  So using 'an historic occasion' is correct.