preece@uicsl.UUCP (02/04/84)
#R:ihuxq:-56700:uicsl:8600039:000:603 uicsl!preece Feb 3 09:45:00 1984 Dixit Webster: "an ... (2) [used] invariably before h-initial words in which the h is silent <an honor>; (3) [used] frequently before h-initial words which have in an initial unstressed syllable an \h\ sound often lost after the an <an historian>" Use with initial vowels is dependent on sound: invariably use an with initial vowel sounds, optionally otherwise (e.g., <an union> is permissible). Note that you would invariably say "an 'h'" because the "word" 'h' starts with a vowel sound. Another topic resurrected; we went through this a year or so ago. scott preece ihnp4!uiucdcs!uicsl!preece