03.17.09
What the H?
Sometimes you have to laugh your way out of a coma.
Such laughter has drawn me out of “Hi. 8. Us?”—for better or worse. And it’s kind of the “8″ part that did it.
A restaurant I like for its food and not its verbal dexterity recently issued a coupon postcard with one of my favorite typos of late. The restaurant’s new slogan? “Were good food and service are always on the menu.” Were? But no more?
Were oh were has that poor H gone?
, 
and 
. Feel free to 
Andra M. said,
March 18, 2009 at 10:51 am
I think H is hiding with my apostrophes. I’m always losing those. Commas, though, they like me, so I end up with too many.
Andra M. said,
March 24, 2009 at 11:06 am
Since you like to point out articles with grammatical problems, I thought you’d get a kick out of this:
“Oakland cop shot by parolee taken off life support.” ( http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090324/ap_on_re_us/police_shot_calif )
Linda Yezak said,
April 9, 2009 at 7:50 pm
While we’re on the subject of Hs, can you settle a disagreement? Is it “an historical” or “a historical”? It is “an honor,” I believe, and “an herb” — or is it “a herb”?
Does it depend on whether the H is pronounced? And would that pronunciation be for the historical or current word?
And is it “an H” or “a H”? (The second sounds inherently wrong.)
Bill Brohaugh said,
April 12, 2009 at 4:31 pm
As the Cockney sailors don’t say, “anhoy!”
I prefer “a historical,” though I don’t throw an hissy fit if I hear otherwise.
I’m amused by those who won’t say “an history” but will say “an historical,” though the first syllable of history is accented, while the same syllable tends to be swallowed in historical, with the second syllable accented, leading to an hint of silence in pronouncing the initial H.
As for as a/an herb—depends on the herbalist you’re talking to. I grew up with the silent H for the plant (and a non-silent one for my non-silent uncle Herb), though there was a movement to begin pronouncing it a while back. I haven’t followed that debate, preferring to worry about swallowing the herbs (fresh oregano on pizza—mmmmm) and not the H’s that begin them.
And “an H.” Though maybe for the sake of form-meeting-function, we should start calling the letter “haitch.”
Hanasu said,
April 21, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Were, oh, were has the poor Brohaugh gone?
I miss you! My words are starting to lose double senses!! Come back soon, pleez!
JennyLu aka Red said,
May 18, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Cute. A friend had a bar and grill in NY and the name was “Tam-Tom’s” But when their sign showed up… you got it, “Tam-Pons” . Worse the sign showed up the week of Christmas and they didn’t catch it until new years eve! Thought I’d share.