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Thread: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

  1. #1
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    Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    Hello all,

    I was just thinking of posting a thread eulogising Ubuntu, the title of which was gonna be "A Ubuntu Encomium".

    But then it struck me, should that be "An Ubuntu Encomium"?

    How would you put it? - E.g. "A Ubuntu desktop is infinitely configurable." or "AN Ubuntu desktop is infinitely configurable."?

    Or have I had too much to drink?

    Bestest...

  2. #2

    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    An Ubuntu Ecomium would be correct because Ubuntu's first 'U' has a vowel sound.
    Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. Abigail Adams ( 1744 - 1818 ), 1780;

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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    Quote Originally Posted by Sef View Post
    An Ubuntu Ecomium would be correct because Ubuntu's first 'U' has a vowel sound.
    +1. I'd say An for the same reason

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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    Yep, I've definitely had way too much to drink...

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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    Why would you not use "an"? Yes, odd things happen to proper nouns in colloquial speech, but you wouldn't say "An BBC report showed...". We seem to change indefinite articles when we are distinguishing between proper nouns which can be commonly (mis)construed as adjectives (eg: "I purchased a Option microwave")

  6. #6
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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    It is because BBC has a consonant sound at the beginning.

    Vowel sound = An
    Consonant Sound = A

    wouldn't it be an Option Microwave - it's how I'd say it, or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    Wait, hang on... You're saying "An Ubuntu etc." is correct?

    Take, for example, the words "Ubuntu", "eulogy" and "European".

    They all start with a similar vowel sound but would one say "An eulogy to...", "An European whatever..."?

  8. #8
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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    Eulogy and European both start with a y sound whereas Ubuntu starts with an u/o sound (or it does in my thick Brummie accent )

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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    ****, I may have been wrong for all this time...

    I've been pronouncing it "You"buntu but should it have been "Ooh"buntu?

    Bear in mind, I am Irish...

  10. #10
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    Re: Ubuntu Indefinite Article? "A" or "An"

    Technically, "An Option[note proper noun (i couldn't think of any other brand names beginning with vowels which are derived from adjectives)] microwave" would be correct, but to avoid confusion people often refer proper nouns beginning with vowels as "A" to distinguish them from similar adjectives. This is more prevelant in discourse than written word. In conclusion, it is pretty much irrelevant.

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