Can a have an A, men?

[ronbutters at AOL.COM]

The use of "a" before vowels is common in my speech. I am not unusual. I am white, age 69, learned my English from white people in Iowa. It seems clear that Obama learned English from white people, too. The feature haa nothing whatever to do with race.
------Original Message------
From: Rex W. Stocklin
Sender: ADS-L
To: ADS-L
ReplyTo: ADS-L
Subject: [ADS-L] Can a have an A, men?
Sent: Feb 4, 2009 7:11 AM

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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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org