'a' or is it 'an'?

[Aemma]

Begins with a pronounced consonant. Subsequent vowel sounds are thus irrelevant. The frequent employment of 'an historical' predates the standardization of the language, when either -a- or -an- was correct, as many regional dialects do not pronounce the -h-.

Edit: Again, at least in General American English.

Got a linkie?

[Nodens]

Not finding anything on the history, but on topic:

“A Historic” versus “An Historic”

Throughout this podcast so far, I’ve said “a historic” and “a historical.” There are conflicting theories on whether to use “an” or “a” before these words. It’s all a matter of whether you pronounce the “h” sound. One authority, Bill Walsh, feels that Americans incorrectly use “an.” He acknowledges that “some British people pronounce ‘historic’ as ‘istoric,’ and that has led many Americans to believe ‘an historic’ is correct. It is not.” He points out that if you said the words “historic” and “historical” alone, you would hear an “h” sound, so you should say, “a historic” and “a historical” (4). Further, nobody would ever say a song was “an hit.” You'd say the song was “a hit,” and the “hi” sound at the beginning of “hit” is exactly the same as the sound at the beginning of “historic” and “historical.”

On the other hand, The New Fowler's Modern English Usage, a traditionally British-leaning style guide, holds an opposing view (3). It recommends that you say, “an historic” and “an historical,” but “a history.” I personally prefer “a historic” and “a historical,” but no matter which way you choose to say these words, you’re going to offend someone.

So, to sum up, something historic is important, something historical is all in the past, and in my opinion it's better to say “a historic” instead of “an historic.”

. . . When the aitch (h) is silent, as in honor and hour, use the article an. When the aitch is pronounced, as in house, hamburger, history, and historical, use the article a.

. . . an was formerly used before an unaccented syllable beginning with
h and is still often seen and heard (an historian, an hotel, an hysterical scene, an hereditary title, an habitual offender). But now that the h in such words is pronounced, the distinction has become anomalous and will no doubt disappear in time. Meantime, speakers who like to say an should not try to have it both ways by aspirating the h.

Edit: And it does seem to be an American vs. Others phenomenon.

[Aemma]

Not finding anything on the history, but on topic:

Edit: And it does seem to be an American vs. Others phenomenon.

Well done and thank you, Nodens! up

Well being the extremely stubborn French Canadian woman that I am, I'm afraid I'll be sticking to my very Canadian ways and saying "an historical...." C'est un fait accompli.

[Nodens]

One more justification for my future political party's 'Annex Canada' platform.

[Aemma]

One more justification for my future political party's 'Annex Canada' platform.

Perhaps you would like to rethink that whole annexing idea, Nodens. You'd have old stubborn French Canadian women like me trying to run interference and having a grand old time doing it too!

Je meurs une canadienne avant tout!!

[Nodens]

Perhaps you would like to rethink that whole annexing idea, Nodens. You'd have old stubborn French Canadian women like me trying to run interference and having a grand old time doing it too!

Je meurs une canadienne avant tout!!

Sounds like a challenge.

[Murphy]

I don't understand the mechanisms of the English language. It simply comes natural to me, instinctively I know when to use my 'a' and my 'an'.

[Fortis in Arduis]

It should be 'a historical'.

Allowing the emphasis to fall on the 'stor' would be sloppy, even if the 'h' were expressed, and that would be the only partially acceptable reason for pronouncing it as 'an historical'.

You would not pronounce 'an history', would you, unless you dropped the 'aitch'.

Emphasis on the first syllable is generally better.

Example: 'HARrassment', not 'harrASSment'.

[RoyBatty]

You would not pronounce 'an history', would you, unless you dropped the 'aitch'.

....and you was from East Enders land.

[Cail]

Historically the article has been 'an' (cognate to German 'ein' among others), but 'n' was dropped before consonants. That's the literary norm, though some dialects may differ.