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03-17-2004, 04:38 PM
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Question for the Grammar Buffs
Would it be grammatically correct to say:
He received an MBA.
OR
He received a MBA.
Let me know by the end of the day so that I can prove an evil co-worker wrong. Thanks.
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ZTA
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03-17-2004, 04:40 PM
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I vote for an MBA.
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03-17-2004, 04:44 PM
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Its "an."
My grammar genius friend just told me so.
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03-17-2004, 05:19 PM
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I'd say it's "an," and I'm this big English-major-grammar-geek. 
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Delta Zeta
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03-17-2004, 05:21 PM
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Re: Question for the Grammar Buffs
Quote:
Originally posted by ZTAngel
Would it be grammatically correct to say:
He received an MBA.
OR
He received a MBA.
Let me know by the end of the day so that I can prove an evil co-worker wrong. Thanks.
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I would use "a" only if I write out the degree in full.
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03-17-2004, 05:22 PM
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It's "an" because the letter M is pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning.
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03-17-2004, 05:42 PM
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Thank you, all! I now get to rub it in his face that I was right. 
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ZTA
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03-17-2004, 06:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by dzsaigirl
It's "an" because the letter M is pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning.
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Yup, thats the Diana Hacker reply. And she practically wrote the Bible of Grammer. All you grammer dorks, like myself who is a writing tutor, should know who she is.
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Just keep swimming
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03-17-2004, 07:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by dzsaigirl
It's "an" because the letter M is pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning.
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This is correct
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ALPHA THETA CHI - FOUNDED 1989 / BETA NU 1996 letters4life
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03-17-2004, 07:24 PM
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correctamundo... emme
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03-17-2004, 08:41 PM
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1 more vote for an
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03-17-2004, 08:53 PM
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It sounds better An but if there is no A E I O U in front wouldn't it be a?
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03-17-2004, 09:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by dzsaigirl
It's "an" because the letter M is pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning.
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I agree that it sounds better with an in front but I have never heard about an before "M" because of the vowel sound. You don't say, "we are going to go get an meal" or we are going to an movie" you use a. Is it because of it being an acronym.
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03-17-2004, 09:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by adpialumcsuc
I agree that it sounds better with an in front but I have never heard about an before "M" because of the vowel sound. You don't say, "we are going to go get an meal" or we are going to an movie" you use a. Is it because of it being an acronym.
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I think that it is. A word that starts with the letter "M," does not start with a vowel sound. Pronouncing the letter "M" by itself, which is what you do with "MBA," does start with the vowel sound.
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03-17-2004, 10:23 PM
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The difference is in how the "m" is pronounced in each case. In MBA, it is pronounced like "em," thus the "sounds like a vowell" rule. It wouldn't be the same, say, for the m sound in "A Merry Widow."
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The above is the opinion of the poster which may or may not be based in known facts and does not necessarily reflect the views of Delta Tau Delta or Greek Chat -- but it might.
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