a/an mlp

[Luxrayx]

So I've had a question on my mind for a while, and I'd like to know what people think. When you read the abbreviation, do you think of it as

1. a (my little pony)
2. an (M-L-P)?

Because I truly can't decide myself, and I don't want to write something people find incorrect

[Taffeta]

Personally, "a my little pony", "an mlp", but honestly, if in doubt, use the full words xD.

"a mlp" sounds like bad English to me when said out loud, because the letter 'm' is is "em" in pronunciation, and begins thus with a vowel sound. Making it 'an' mlp, but 'a' my little pony.

[Al-1701]

I'm with Taffeta.  It starts with a vowel sound, so "an" is correct when using the abbreviation.  In fact, I think it's customary to use "an" before any of the letter a vowel (and use "a" before "u").

[Taffeta]

And it's going off topic, but definitely not an before 'h'. Reading things like 'an historical...' is one of my chief linguistical bugbears xD. H is a consonant, and not a vowel. Except maybe in London, where it mostly doesn't exist at the start of words, and then things like 'an 'ospital' happen.

[Luxrayx]

And it's going off topic, but definitely not an before 'h'. Reading things like 'an historical...' is one of my chief linguistical bugbears xD.

Well... You do say an hour and an honor, so I guess that's what confuses people. Anyway, I know how grammar works I'm just asking how the voice in your head reads abbreviations - as the letters, or as the words the letters represent. Like, when you read jk, do you think of it as jk, or as just kidding?

[tulagirl]

This is all about whether the word before the indefinite article starts with a vowel or not.  My is not a vowel because M is not a vowel you see.  So it has to be a MLP.  See examples below.  Now we also have to consider sound as well not always the letter.  In the case of the word hour it sounds like a vowel sound "o"  therefore; it will be an hour.  English is crazy this way, but it is both sound and vowels that determine correct usage of an. This is what I was taught in college.  In the case of an h word where it sounds clearly like a consonant you will use a.

Example of when to use "a"-words that don't start with a vowel

a dog
a cat
a bird
a pony

Examples of when to use "an" words that start with a vowel

an owl
an elephant
an ant

Example of an with h words that have vowel sound

an hour
an honor

Example of a with h words that have consonant sound

a hat
a habit
a hair

[Al-1701]

But the "h" is universally silent in those words.  Historical and hospital have a pronounced "h" in most dialects.

I always read "jk" as "joke".

The use of "a" and "an" is based on the sound that comes first, not the first letter we use in the spelling.  An opposite example of this is words like "utility" and "unite" are always proceeded by an "a" because there is a "y" sound at the beginning even though we don't add it to the spelling.

No wonder English is such a pain of a language to learn.

[tulagirl]

Yes lol this is why many people with English as first language can"t speak or write it perfectly.  It has too many exception rules.  You will find this information in a basic grammar book and all the exceptions with it lol.

[orangepeachmango]

I'm sure I switch more than I know, but I think I try to say "a mlp" since it's not a vowel. But.. Tbh I just say "a pony"
Since this is a pony forum and saying "a mlp" is unnecessary. You guys know what ponies I'm talking about

[Emberfly]

When I see My Little Pony written abbreviated as MLP, I read it as the abbreviation, so therefore: an mlp.

[lostpony]

I'm with Taffeta and Al-1701 on this.

It's the sound. If someone writes "a mlp" as orangepeachmango suggests than i read it as "a my little pony" because their choice of article dictates their intent that it's an abbreviation not an anacronym.

If it's "an historical" thing, i read that as "an 'istorical" slangy pronunciation so incorrect.

Off topic, it bugs me when people pronounce harassment as "herrassment" and claim its tomato/tomato when it isn't because harass is distinct from herasy so "herrassment" would be some sort of blasphemy not pestering someone.

[tulagirl]

Nope the word historical is not "an historical."  Historical is clearly an h sounding word as no vowel sound sounds like an h.  So it is "a historical."