[Grammar] Orange

[woollie21]

How do you ask for this fruit - is it 'an orange' or 'a orange? I would like a orange (I think is wrong) or I would like an orange.

 

[SoothingDave]

What is the rule for deciding whether to use "a" or "an"?

 

[Tdol]

I would like a orange (I think is wrong)

You're right- a orange is wrong.

It should be I think this/it is wrong.

 

[SoothingDave]

The original poster claims to be a native English speaker. So, his confusion here is worrisome.

 

[5jj]

The location given appears to be incorrect as well. Please correct the information in your profile woollie.

 

[Tdol]

You do hear a + vowel sound used sometimes by some speakers in the UK, though it's definitely not a standard form and would be considered an error.

PS The location appears to be correct.

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

Very often, non-standard forms can be attributed to laziness.

I find it surprising in this case as it seems so much easier to pronounce "an orange" than to say "a orange".

 

[Tdol]

It does sound willful when I hear it.

 

[5jj]

Very often, non-standard forms can be attributed to laziness.I find it surprising in this case as it seems so much easier to pronounce "an orange" than to say "a orange".

I feel the same about the increasingly common glottal stop in place of intervocalic /t/ and, for some speakers, /p/ and /k/. It seems to me that the original plosive requires marginally less micro-effort than the glottal stop, but it may just be that nearly seven decades of using the 'correct' (;-)) form makes me imagine it's easier.