It's a matter of grammar
- Otohiko
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2003 8:32 pm
Re: It's a matter of grammar
Writing doesn't change phonological rules, and a/an is a purely phonological contrast. Unless you live somewhere where M in an abbreviation/by itself is pronounced as "Meh" or something.
The most correct one is #4. Because it's unambiguous. Everything else is more or less a bastardization/technicalization of the real term for lazy people. Pragmatically though, all of them are 'correct' in usage - cause people actually do commonly speak in abbreviations like that and all are understandable. #2 is least correct because it breaks a phonological rule; #3 is also less correct because it doesn't follow the way abbreviations are normally supposed to be pronounced - but in usage both of those are often actually accepted.
The most correct one is #4. Because it's unambiguous. Everything else is more or less a bastardization/technicalization of the real term for lazy people. Pragmatically though, all of them are 'correct' in usage - cause people actually do commonly speak in abbreviations like that and all are understandable. #2 is least correct because it breaks a phonological rule; #3 is also less correct because it doesn't follow the way abbreviations are normally supposed to be pronounced - but in usage both of those are often actually accepted.
The Birds are using humanity in order to throw something terrifying at this green pig. And then what happens to us all later, that’s simply not important to them…
- Fall_Child42
- has a rock
- Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 6:32 pm
- Status: Veloci-tossin' to the max!
- Location: Jurassic Park
Re: It's a matter of grammar
Awesome.
And there we have it it ladies and gentlemen!
Completely resolved!
On the Org Forums of all places!
And there we have it it ladies and gentlemen!
Completely resolved!
On the Org Forums of all places!
- 8bit_samurai
- Hmm...
- Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 1:47 pm
- Location: Alaska
Re: It's a matter of grammar
It's just like saying Em Ee Pee. Same reason you'd say an hour and a unicorn.
Under Construction
- Kitsuner
- Maximum Hotness
- Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2003 8:38 pm
- Status: Top Breeder
- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: It's a matter of grammar
I don't know about you, but I'd say an hour and a unicorn for entirely different reasons for saying Em Ee Pee.8bit_samurai wrote:It's just like saying Em Ee Pee. Same reason you'd say an hour and a unicorn.
OtakuGray wrote:Sometimes anime can branch out to a younger audience and this is one of those times where you wish children would just go die.
Stirspeare wrote:<Stirspeare> Lopez: Vanquish my virginity and flood me with kit. ["Ladies..."]
- Phantasmagoriat
- Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:26 pm
- Status: ☁SteamPunked≈☂
- Contact:
Re: It's a matter of grammar
Depends who I'm talking to.
For someone completely unfamiliar, I make a point of explaining Multi-Editor-Project = M-E-P then repeat Multi-Editor-Project aka "mep"
Thereafter, I simplify to just "mep"
For someone completely unfamiliar, I make a point of explaining Multi-Editor-Project = M-E-P then repeat Multi-Editor-Project aka "mep"
Thereafter, I simplify to just "mep"
PLAY FREEDOOM!! | Phan Picks! | THE424SHOW | YouTube | "Painkiller" | Vanilla MIDI's
"Effort to Understand; Effort to be Understood; to See through Different Eyes."
"Effort to Understand; Effort to be Understood; to See through Different Eyes."
- MycathatesyouAMV
- Based Dicknugget
- Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:00 pm
- Status: Still doing AMVs for some reason
- Location: Forward
Re: It's a matter of grammar
Always 3 for me
Skype: Mycathatesyou0000
Discord: MycathatesyouAMV#5994
Discord: MycathatesyouAMV#5994
- Ileia
- WHAT IS PINK MAY NEVER DIE!
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:29 am
- Status: ....to completion
- Location: On teh Z-drive, CornDog
- Contact:
Re: It's a matter of grammar
#1
I actually hadn't heard #3 until a few weeks ago, I didn't even know that was a thing.
I actually hadn't heard #3 until a few weeks ago, I didn't even know that was a thing.










- Copycat_Revolver
- Mad Scientist
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:14 pm
- Location: blabbler's unpleasant psyche
Re: It's a matter of grammar
#1 of course.
And if #1 was a tree it would be a fig tree.
And if #1 was a tree it would be a fig tree.
- Nya-chan Production
- The :< point of view
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:21 am
- Status: White bracelet
- Location: Ward 7F
- Contact:
- Mol
- Strawberry Pie
- Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:28 am
- Status: sutatS
- Location: Sweden
- Contact: