"a Ubuntu notebook" or "an Ubuntu notebook"?

[falko]

I need help from a native English speaker regarding this discussion here: http://digg.com/linux_unix/Wardrivin...Drive#c3960285

Is it "a Ubuntu notebook" or "an Ubuntu notebook"? I think if you pronounce Ubuntu "Jubuntu" then it's "a Ubuntu notebook", isn't it?

[edge]

Thats a hard one...

Normaly "an" is used when the next word starts with an "a", "e", "i", "o" or "u" (as you allready know)

So theoretical it should be "an Ubuntu notebook", BUT as it's a name, I'm not 100% sure!

[sjau]

I tend to "an" also because "ubuntu" starts with a vowel..

[falko]

I learnt in school (many years ago ) that it's important how you pronounce it, not how you write it. But what's the correct pronounciation of Ubuntu in English?

[sjau]

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/esliart.html

ote: The choice of article is actually based upon the phonetic (sound) quality of the first letter in a word, not on the orthographic (written) representation of the letter. If the first letter makes a vowel-type sound, you use "an"; if the first letter would makes a consonant-type sound, you use "a." So, if you consider the rule from a phonetic perspective, there aren't any exceptions. Since the 'h' hasn't any phonetic representation, no audible sound, in the first exception, the sound that follows the article is a vowel; consequently, 'an' is used. In the second exception, the word-initial 'y' sound (unicorn) is actually a glide [j] phonetically, which has consonantal properties; consequently, it is treated as a consonant, requiring 'a'.

And now you can listen to Nelson Mandela on how he pronounces it:
/usr/share/example-contetn/Experience ubuntu.ogg

[falko]

Originally Posted by sjau

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/esliart.html

ote: The choice of article is actually based upon the phonetic (sound) quality of the first letter in a word, not on the orthographic (written) representation of the letter. If the first letter makes a vowel-type sound, you use "an"; if the first letter would makes a consonant-type sound, you use "a." So, if you consider the rule from a phonetic perspective, there aren't any exceptions. Since the 'h' hasn't any phonetic representation, no audible sound, in the first exception, the sound that follows the article is a vowel; consequently, 'an' is used. In the second exception, the word-initial 'y' sound (unicorn) is actually a glide [j] phonetically, which has consonantal properties; consequently, it is treated as a consonant, requiring 'a'.

At least I know now that I learnt it right at school.

[Daniel15]

Originally Posted by edge

Thats a hard one...

Normaly "an" is used when the next word starts with an "a", "e", "i", "o" or "u" (as you allready know)

So theoretical it should be "an Ubuntu notebook", BUT as it's a name, I'm not 100% sure!

But "An Ubuntu Notebook" just sounds weird :P. "A Ubuntu notebook" sounds much better

[falko]

Originally Posted by Daniel15

But "An Ubuntu Notebook" just sounds weird :P. "A Ubuntu notebook" sounds much better

I see you're from Australia. So are you a native speaker?