"A hereditary" or "an hereditary"

[Bob Haas]

I say "an historical account," and I would probably say "an hereditary
condition," if I ever had cause to say it.  I've been called on the "an
historical" tendency, but I declare that it is not a put-on.  I'd never even
thought about it that much, until I was called on it by my girlfriend in 1988.  I
still say "an historical" whatever-it-may-be; I no longer see her.  One thing had
nothing to do with the other . . . I think.

"A. Vine" wrote:

> Admittedly, I'm not Grant, and, as I don't pronounce the "h" in "herb" I would
> say "an herb".  But I would say "a Herb Albert album", as I say "a hereditary
> condition".  "Historical" can go either way for me, depending on whom I'm
> speaking with at the time, I think.

--

Bob Haas
Department of English
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

                     "No matter where you go, there you are."