Using 'a' or 'an' before acronyms.

[s0prano42_x3]

I just read a thread and it said something about the show "Masters of Horror." The writer later abbreviated it as "MOH." The context was as follows: "...when I finished watching it I watched a MOH special..."

Would it be correct to say "a" or "an"? I'm not sure, but to me it sounds better to say "an" before an acronym like that (if you're actually saying the letters and not the words).  

[s0prano42_x3]

Hey guys! What's the hangup? Does no one like to reply to me? xd  

[DarkElf27]

Well, think of the sound it makes. MOH: em-oh-atche. Specifically, it starts as 'em,' making a sound as that it started with a vowel. Since it's grammatically correct to use "an" when the next word starts with a vowel, I think it's better to go by the sound.  

[s0prano42_x3]

But doesn't it depend on how you pronounce the acronym as well? Again, using said statement, is it correct to read "a MOH" as "a Masters Of Horror" or "an (em-oh-aych)"?

I guess what I mean is, should we read acronyms as the words the letters stand for or the letters themselves?  

[Lady Pica]

It depends on the situation, I think. Online, I tend to read things as the words they stand for (if I know what the hell people are talking about!), but in real life, I just say the letters. I guess it's just trying to keep up with my brain that affects whether I use 'a' or 'an.'  

[ChibiStarlet]

I think how we read an acronym depends of the acronym. I mean, some things are commonly used as words. I'm blanking on examples. But if it's just a mix of letters, then I think it should have the "an." If you're cheering for a game, don't you usually cheer "give me an S"? cool Good question though! I really had to sit and think about what I would say.  

[chrystalclear]

ChibiStarlet

But if it's just a mix of letters, then I think it should have the "an." If you're cheering for a game, don't you usually cheer "give me an S"? cool

But then again, the letter S is pronounced "ess". The sound would start with a vowel. What if you said, "Give me a B?" It sounds correct, right? So I'd have to agree with DarkElf27 on this one...  

[zingebar]

DarkElf27 is correct.  

[-l- Eli -l-]

The reason why they said "a MOH" is because they were pronouncing the acronym as "mo." (At least, I hope so!) So in this case, it just depends on how it sounds in your head. If you look at that and see "mo," you'd say "a." If you look at that and see "em oh aich," you'd use "an."

And as far as I know, there's no set rule about how acronyms are pronounced... Some are accepted as being pronounced by what the letters spell out, and some are accepted as being said letter-by-letter. So this is one of those things you have to be flexible on.  

[s0prano42_x3]

Sorry to get picky but... how should we pronounce acronyms?!

There are three ways.

1: We could pronounce them letter-by-letter. "An em-oh-aich."
2: We could pronounce them as their own word. "A mo."
3: We could actually say the words they stand for. "A Masters of Horror."


Ahhh! I'm getting frustrated... is there one way that's correct or can it be all three?