Can a have an A, men?

Jocelyn Limpert jocelyn.limpert at GMAIL.COM
Wed Feb 4 21:54:34 UTC 2009


I'm glad the "a/an" problem that our new president has was finally mentioned
on this site. And, yes, it is like nails on a blackboard. I thought everyone
(yes, everyone) learned the distinction early on in grammar school.

On 2/4/09, Rex W. Stocklin <listcatcher at rexstocklin.com> wrote:
>
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Rex W. Stocklin" <listcatcher at REXSTOCKLIN.COM>
> Subject:      Can a have an A, men?
>
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>
> I assume my posts are annoying little laic gnats in the rarified air
> of all your wordsmiths, but I DO have one observation, I've yet to
> see any pundit or other social observer make.
>
> And I'm wanting to know if it is a cultural quirk I've managed to
> miss like "It's ALL good". I'm speaking of erudite black folks'
> seeming propensity to use "a" instead of "an", when not only grammar
> but consonance seem to demand the latter. (article-noun agreement?)
>
> The most audible culprit is President Obama, who regularly n-drops.
> Here is one ironic citation:
>
> "Oh, well, you know, we have thought about this because part of what
> we want to do is to open up the White House and, and remind people
> this is, this is the people's house. There is an incredible bully
> pulpit to be used when it comes to, for example, education. Yes,
> we're going to have A EDUCATION policy..." - from "Meet the Press"
> 12/7/08
>
> Folks he DOES it all the time!!!! "a economy," "a official," "a
> Afghani," "a enormous," "a understanding". Just listen closely some
> time.
>
> There was an incident with a football player during the pre-game of
> the SuperBowl, but that one I didn't note. THEN Sunday evening
> erstwhile Colts coach Tony Dungy, in a local TV affiliate interview
> (for locals it was was WTHR's Dave Callabro) heard saying (regarding
> his participation at the Inagural Gala): "It was A UNBELIEVABLE
> experience"
>
> It is a very recent trend that is like nails on my cochlea. And I've
> yet to hear any other ethnic group partake in the phenomenon.
>
> Any thoughts? Is this further erosion of the mother tongue, or a
> somehow useful evolution?
>
> Rex, in the cheap seats.
>
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