February 20, 2007
Do we say “an herb” or “a herb”?
Q: Tarragon, dill, rosemary, and thyme are herbs. The “h” is silent in describing them generically. Ergo, does one say tarragon is an herb or tarragon is a herb? My Microsoft Office spell-checker is flagging the latter.
A: In the United States, the "h" in "herb" is silent. In Britain, it’s sounded. We say "an 'erb" while the British say "a herb."
No matter which side of the Atlantic we hail from, we generally use the article "an" before a vowel sound (like a silent "h") and "a" before a consonant sound (like a pronounced, or aspirated, "h").
If you’re an American, give your spell-checker a pat on the back. If you’re a Brit, give it a good, swift kick. Spell-checkers can be useful (say, to point out typos or repeated words), but if you automatically make all the changes they suggest, your writing will be riddled with errors (often hilariously so).
PS: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language has an interesting Usage Note on the “h” in “herb” and similar words that English has borrowed from French.
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