Why would “an mule” be used instead of “a mule”? [closed]When should I use “a” vs “an”?Why is 'an' used with 'an honour'?Why is the indefinite article used in: “like a challenge”“I would like to express a big congratulations…” Why ‘a’ before the plural form?Boy and girl meet (Why no article?)“would” vs “used to”Why is “the” used here? I would use not article in this dialog
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Why would “an mule” be used instead of “a mule”? [closed]
When should I use “a” vs “an”?Why is 'an' used with 'an honour'?Why is the indefinite article used in: “like a challenge”“I would like to express a big congratulations…” Why ‘a’ before the plural form?Boy and girl meet (Why no article?)“would” vs “used to”Why is “the” used here? I would use not article in this dialog
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty
margin-bottom:0;
As generally agreed and as extensively discussed in this question, "an" should be used in place of the more common "a" where the following word begins with a vowel sound.
I have just encountered for the first time an instance of the phrasing
an mule
in the book Why Chemical Reactions Happen (James Keeler and Peter Wothers, Oxford University Press, 2003). (This book is not mine. I was sitting opposite a friend when the friend mentioned the unusual phrasing.)
This phrasing appears to contradict the rule discussed above, since "mule" is, as far as I am aware, pronounced /mjuːl/ (see Wiktionary).
Here is the context. The author is using an analogy to explain a chemistry concept (the italics are not mine, but the bold emphasis is):
A useful analogy here is that of an mule, which we get by crossing a horse with a donkey. To describe an mule as a horse or a donkey would be inaccurate and it certainly does not interconvert rapidly between the two! Rather we need to recognize that although an mule has parts that are reminiscent of a horse and parts that a reminiscent of a donkey, it is something altogether different.
Looking for other examples online, I have managed to find one on Wikipedia's List of Siege engines. Discussing a Siege engine, the Scorpio:
Similar to the ballista, but smaller. Was sometimes mounted on an mule-drawn cart.
Other examples are difficult to find, but here's one from a user-posted question on Answers.com (referring, notably, to a kind of deer rather than the animal, a mule):
Is an mule deer an omnivore?
No. Mule deer are herbivores. ...
What is going on? Is there an irregular pronunication of "mule" of which I am not aware? Is this some strange language quirk, some archaic spelling that I am encountering for the first time?
word-choice pronunciation articles indefinite-articles sandhi
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
closed as off-topic by Edwin Ashworth, FumbleFingers, Jason Bassford Supports Monica, Reinstate Monica, Kris Sep 12 at 12:42
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
add a comment
|
As generally agreed and as extensively discussed in this question, "an" should be used in place of the more common "a" where the following word begins with a vowel sound.
I have just encountered for the first time an instance of the phrasing
an mule
in the book Why Chemical Reactions Happen (James Keeler and Peter Wothers, Oxford University Press, 2003). (This book is not mine. I was sitting opposite a friend when the friend mentioned the unusual phrasing.)
This phrasing appears to contradict the rule discussed above, since "mule" is, as far as I am aware, pronounced /mjuːl/ (see Wiktionary).
Here is the context. The author is using an analogy to explain a chemistry concept (the italics are not mine, but the bold emphasis is):
A useful analogy here is that of an mule, which we get by crossing a horse with a donkey. To describe an mule as a horse or a donkey would be inaccurate and it certainly does not interconvert rapidly between the two! Rather we need to recognize that although an mule has parts that are reminiscent of a horse and parts that a reminiscent of a donkey, it is something altogether different.
Looking for other examples online, I have managed to find one on Wikipedia's List of Siege engines. Discussing a Siege engine, the Scorpio:
Similar to the ballista, but smaller. Was sometimes mounted on an mule-drawn cart.
Other examples are difficult to find, but here's one from a user-posted question on Answers.com (referring, notably, to a kind of deer rather than the animal, a mule):
Is an mule deer an omnivore?
No. Mule deer are herbivores. ...
What is going on? Is there an irregular pronunication of "mule" of which I am not aware? Is this some strange language quirk, some archaic spelling that I am encountering for the first time?
word-choice pronunciation articles indefinite-articles sandhi
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
closed as off-topic by Edwin Ashworth, FumbleFingers, Jason Bassford Supports Monica, Reinstate Monica, Kris Sep 12 at 12:42
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– tchrist♦
Sep 11 at 5:00
The perils of "Global" replace.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
Voting to close the Q as a NARQ.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
I don't understand why this question has been marked as off-topic. I think that this question concerns Word Choice and/or Grammar, and therefore is a fit for this site as defined in the Help Center.
– C Ren
Sep 13 at 18:11
add a comment
|
As generally agreed and as extensively discussed in this question, "an" should be used in place of the more common "a" where the following word begins with a vowel sound.
I have just encountered for the first time an instance of the phrasing
an mule
in the book Why Chemical Reactions Happen (James Keeler and Peter Wothers, Oxford University Press, 2003). (This book is not mine. I was sitting opposite a friend when the friend mentioned the unusual phrasing.)
This phrasing appears to contradict the rule discussed above, since "mule" is, as far as I am aware, pronounced /mjuːl/ (see Wiktionary).
Here is the context. The author is using an analogy to explain a chemistry concept (the italics are not mine, but the bold emphasis is):
A useful analogy here is that of an mule, which we get by crossing a horse with a donkey. To describe an mule as a horse or a donkey would be inaccurate and it certainly does not interconvert rapidly between the two! Rather we need to recognize that although an mule has parts that are reminiscent of a horse and parts that a reminiscent of a donkey, it is something altogether different.
Looking for other examples online, I have managed to find one on Wikipedia's List of Siege engines. Discussing a Siege engine, the Scorpio:
Similar to the ballista, but smaller. Was sometimes mounted on an mule-drawn cart.
Other examples are difficult to find, but here's one from a user-posted question on Answers.com (referring, notably, to a kind of deer rather than the animal, a mule):
Is an mule deer an omnivore?
No. Mule deer are herbivores. ...
What is going on? Is there an irregular pronunication of "mule" of which I am not aware? Is this some strange language quirk, some archaic spelling that I am encountering for the first time?
word-choice pronunciation articles indefinite-articles sandhi
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
As generally agreed and as extensively discussed in this question, "an" should be used in place of the more common "a" where the following word begins with a vowel sound.
I have just encountered for the first time an instance of the phrasing
an mule
in the book Why Chemical Reactions Happen (James Keeler and Peter Wothers, Oxford University Press, 2003). (This book is not mine. I was sitting opposite a friend when the friend mentioned the unusual phrasing.)
This phrasing appears to contradict the rule discussed above, since "mule" is, as far as I am aware, pronounced /mjuːl/ (see Wiktionary).
Here is the context. The author is using an analogy to explain a chemistry concept (the italics are not mine, but the bold emphasis is):
A useful analogy here is that of an mule, which we get by crossing a horse with a donkey. To describe an mule as a horse or a donkey would be inaccurate and it certainly does not interconvert rapidly between the two! Rather we need to recognize that although an mule has parts that are reminiscent of a horse and parts that a reminiscent of a donkey, it is something altogether different.
Looking for other examples online, I have managed to find one on Wikipedia's List of Siege engines. Discussing a Siege engine, the Scorpio:
Similar to the ballista, but smaller. Was sometimes mounted on an mule-drawn cart.
Other examples are difficult to find, but here's one from a user-posted question on Answers.com (referring, notably, to a kind of deer rather than the animal, a mule):
Is an mule deer an omnivore?
No. Mule deer are herbivores. ...
What is going on? Is there an irregular pronunication of "mule" of which I am not aware? Is this some strange language quirk, some archaic spelling that I am encountering for the first time?
word-choice pronunciation articles indefinite-articles sandhi
word-choice pronunciation articles indefinite-articles sandhi
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
edited Sep 9 at 21:46
Sven Yargs
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
123k21 gold badges274 silver badges538 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
asked Sep 9 at 12:25
C RenC Ren
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
4331 gold badge2 silver badges6 bronze badges
closed as off-topic by Edwin Ashworth, FumbleFingers, Jason Bassford Supports Monica, Reinstate Monica, Kris Sep 12 at 12:42
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
closed as off-topic by Edwin Ashworth, FumbleFingers, Jason Bassford Supports Monica, Reinstate Monica, Kris Sep 12 at 12:42
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
closed as off-topic by Edwin Ashworth, FumbleFingers, Jason Bassford Supports Monica, Reinstate Monica, Kris Sep 12 at 12:42
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– tchrist♦
Sep 11 at 5:00
The perils of "Global" replace.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
Voting to close the Q as a NARQ.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
I don't understand why this question has been marked as off-topic. I think that this question concerns Word Choice and/or Grammar, and therefore is a fit for this site as defined in the Help Center.
– C Ren
Sep 13 at 18:11
add a comment
|
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– tchrist♦
Sep 11 at 5:00
The perils of "Global" replace.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
Voting to close the Q as a NARQ.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
I don't understand why this question has been marked as off-topic. I think that this question concerns Word Choice and/or Grammar, and therefore is a fit for this site as defined in the Help Center.
– C Ren
Sep 13 at 18:11
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– tchrist♦
Sep 11 at 5:00
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– tchrist♦
Sep 11 at 5:00
The perils of "Global" replace.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
The perils of "Global" replace.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
Voting to close the Q as a NARQ.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
Voting to close the Q as a NARQ.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
I don't understand why this question has been marked as off-topic. I think that this question concerns Word Choice and/or Grammar, and therefore is a fit for this site as defined in the Help Center.
– C Ren
Sep 13 at 18:11
I don't understand why this question has been marked as off-topic. I think that this question concerns Word Choice and/or Grammar, and therefore is a fit for this site as defined in the Help Center.
– C Ren
Sep 13 at 18:11
add a comment
|
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
The original printing had "an ass" instead of "an mule". That error was not lost on the chemistry community. See, for instance, Krenos's 2004 review of the text in the Journal of Chemical Education:
In Chapter 10, bonding in extended conjugated systems and resonance are introduced with the horse + donkey = ass analogy (it is likely the hybrid animal mule is intended instead of ass, however).
It seems the editors subsequently made an error mistake.
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
4
I am marking this answer as correct for providing strong evidence for the source of the typo.
– C Ren
Sep 11 at 8:44
44
+1 for the "an mistake" :)
– Tvde1
Sep 11 at 13:24
10
Reminds me of the urban legend about an author who, at the last minute, decided to change a character's name from David to Jeff. After it had gone to print, and much too late, he remembered that there was a scene that took place in the Victoria and Albert Museum involving the replica statue, Michelangelo's Jeff.
– Oscar Bravo
Sep 11 at 14:32
6
This has also happened in the opposite direction: an umpire was originally a noumper (non-peer) and a newt was once an ewt or an eft.
– Davislor
Sep 11 at 19:24
Perfect explanation. :)
– paul garrett
Sep 11 at 22:43
|
show 1 more comment
It's just a typo, and it probably originally said "an ass". That would have been changed because it's incorrect (an ass is a donkey, not a horse–donkey cross) and, even if it were correct, the fact that ass means well, you know, ass, might be distracting enough to make it worth changing.
Another source of this kind of typo is when an adjective has been added or removed and the article hasn't been updated (e.g., "an elephant" becoming "an big elephant" or "an amazing coincidence" becoming "an coincidence"). That's presumably not happened in this particular text, since there are several instances of "an mule".
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
52
@DavidM Apparently, yes. If they'd posted it as an answer, I'd have seen it; this is part of the reason why we don't post answers in comments...
– David Richerby
Sep 9 at 21:17
12
Actually, ass is rather different from arse.
– Andrew Leach♦
Sep 9 at 22:02
9
"since there are several instances of "an mule" ... or somebody used find all and replace.
– muru
Sep 10 at 1:42
12
What about the mule deer example? Just a typo on it's own? I can't imagine an ass deer is a thing (and I'll admit, I'm afraid to Google it).
– PawnInGameOfLife
Sep 10 at 2:22
23
@AndrewLeach: In traditional British English, sure, they’re different: the farm animal is an ass, your buttocks are an arse — they’re spelled differently, and for many speakers they’re pronounced differently too (depending on accent). But in American English, both the buttocks and the animal are an ass, and are pronounced identically — perfect homonyms. (And using ass for the buttocks is now becoming more common in British English too, both in spelling and pronunciation.)
– PLL
Sep 10 at 12:59
|
show 8 more comments
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The original printing had "an ass" instead of "an mule". That error was not lost on the chemistry community. See, for instance, Krenos's 2004 review of the text in the Journal of Chemical Education:
In Chapter 10, bonding in extended conjugated systems and resonance are introduced with the horse + donkey = ass analogy (it is likely the hybrid animal mule is intended instead of ass, however).
It seems the editors subsequently made an error mistake.
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
4
I am marking this answer as correct for providing strong evidence for the source of the typo.
– C Ren
Sep 11 at 8:44
44
+1 for the "an mistake" :)
– Tvde1
Sep 11 at 13:24
10
Reminds me of the urban legend about an author who, at the last minute, decided to change a character's name from David to Jeff. After it had gone to print, and much too late, he remembered that there was a scene that took place in the Victoria and Albert Museum involving the replica statue, Michelangelo's Jeff.
– Oscar Bravo
Sep 11 at 14:32
6
This has also happened in the opposite direction: an umpire was originally a noumper (non-peer) and a newt was once an ewt or an eft.
– Davislor
Sep 11 at 19:24
Perfect explanation. :)
– paul garrett
Sep 11 at 22:43
|
show 1 more comment
The original printing had "an ass" instead of "an mule". That error was not lost on the chemistry community. See, for instance, Krenos's 2004 review of the text in the Journal of Chemical Education:
In Chapter 10, bonding in extended conjugated systems and resonance are introduced with the horse + donkey = ass analogy (it is likely the hybrid animal mule is intended instead of ass, however).
It seems the editors subsequently made an error mistake.
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
4
I am marking this answer as correct for providing strong evidence for the source of the typo.
– C Ren
Sep 11 at 8:44
44
+1 for the "an mistake" :)
– Tvde1
Sep 11 at 13:24
10
Reminds me of the urban legend about an author who, at the last minute, decided to change a character's name from David to Jeff. After it had gone to print, and much too late, he remembered that there was a scene that took place in the Victoria and Albert Museum involving the replica statue, Michelangelo's Jeff.
– Oscar Bravo
Sep 11 at 14:32
6
This has also happened in the opposite direction: an umpire was originally a noumper (non-peer) and a newt was once an ewt or an eft.
– Davislor
Sep 11 at 19:24
Perfect explanation. :)
– paul garrett
Sep 11 at 22:43
|
show 1 more comment
The original printing had "an ass" instead of "an mule". That error was not lost on the chemistry community. See, for instance, Krenos's 2004 review of the text in the Journal of Chemical Education:
In Chapter 10, bonding in extended conjugated systems and resonance are introduced with the horse + donkey = ass analogy (it is likely the hybrid animal mule is intended instead of ass, however).
It seems the editors subsequently made an error mistake.
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
The original printing had "an ass" instead of "an mule". That error was not lost on the chemistry community. See, for instance, Krenos's 2004 review of the text in the Journal of Chemical Education:
In Chapter 10, bonding in extended conjugated systems and resonance are introduced with the horse + donkey = ass analogy (it is likely the hybrid animal mule is intended instead of ass, however).
It seems the editors subsequently made an error mistake.
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
answered Sep 11 at 3:16
Peter SchillingPeter Schilling
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
6181 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges
4
I am marking this answer as correct for providing strong evidence for the source of the typo.
– C Ren
Sep 11 at 8:44
44
+1 for the "an mistake" :)
– Tvde1
Sep 11 at 13:24
10
Reminds me of the urban legend about an author who, at the last minute, decided to change a character's name from David to Jeff. After it had gone to print, and much too late, he remembered that there was a scene that took place in the Victoria and Albert Museum involving the replica statue, Michelangelo's Jeff.
– Oscar Bravo
Sep 11 at 14:32
6
This has also happened in the opposite direction: an umpire was originally a noumper (non-peer) and a newt was once an ewt or an eft.
– Davislor
Sep 11 at 19:24
Perfect explanation. :)
– paul garrett
Sep 11 at 22:43
|
show 1 more comment
4
I am marking this answer as correct for providing strong evidence for the source of the typo.
– C Ren
Sep 11 at 8:44
44
+1 for the "an mistake" :)
– Tvde1
Sep 11 at 13:24
10
Reminds me of the urban legend about an author who, at the last minute, decided to change a character's name from David to Jeff. After it had gone to print, and much too late, he remembered that there was a scene that took place in the Victoria and Albert Museum involving the replica statue, Michelangelo's Jeff.
– Oscar Bravo
Sep 11 at 14:32
6
This has also happened in the opposite direction: an umpire was originally a noumper (non-peer) and a newt was once an ewt or an eft.
– Davislor
Sep 11 at 19:24
Perfect explanation. :)
– paul garrett
Sep 11 at 22:43
4
4
I am marking this answer as correct for providing strong evidence for the source of the typo.
– C Ren
Sep 11 at 8:44
I am marking this answer as correct for providing strong evidence for the source of the typo.
– C Ren
Sep 11 at 8:44
44
44
+1 for the "an mistake" :)
– Tvde1
Sep 11 at 13:24
+1 for the "an mistake" :)
– Tvde1
Sep 11 at 13:24
10
10
Reminds me of the urban legend about an author who, at the last minute, decided to change a character's name from David to Jeff. After it had gone to print, and much too late, he remembered that there was a scene that took place in the Victoria and Albert Museum involving the replica statue, Michelangelo's Jeff.
– Oscar Bravo
Sep 11 at 14:32
Reminds me of the urban legend about an author who, at the last minute, decided to change a character's name from David to Jeff. After it had gone to print, and much too late, he remembered that there was a scene that took place in the Victoria and Albert Museum involving the replica statue, Michelangelo's Jeff.
– Oscar Bravo
Sep 11 at 14:32
6
6
This has also happened in the opposite direction: an umpire was originally a noumper (non-peer) and a newt was once an ewt or an eft.
– Davislor
Sep 11 at 19:24
This has also happened in the opposite direction: an umpire was originally a noumper (non-peer) and a newt was once an ewt or an eft.
– Davislor
Sep 11 at 19:24
Perfect explanation. :)
– paul garrett
Sep 11 at 22:43
Perfect explanation. :)
– paul garrett
Sep 11 at 22:43
|
show 1 more comment
It's just a typo, and it probably originally said "an ass". That would have been changed because it's incorrect (an ass is a donkey, not a horse–donkey cross) and, even if it were correct, the fact that ass means well, you know, ass, might be distracting enough to make it worth changing.
Another source of this kind of typo is when an adjective has been added or removed and the article hasn't been updated (e.g., "an elephant" becoming "an big elephant" or "an amazing coincidence" becoming "an coincidence"). That's presumably not happened in this particular text, since there are several instances of "an mule".
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
52
@DavidM Apparently, yes. If they'd posted it as an answer, I'd have seen it; this is part of the reason why we don't post answers in comments...
– David Richerby
Sep 9 at 21:17
12
Actually, ass is rather different from arse.
– Andrew Leach♦
Sep 9 at 22:02
9
"since there are several instances of "an mule" ... or somebody used find all and replace.
– muru
Sep 10 at 1:42
12
What about the mule deer example? Just a typo on it's own? I can't imagine an ass deer is a thing (and I'll admit, I'm afraid to Google it).
– PawnInGameOfLife
Sep 10 at 2:22
23
@AndrewLeach: In traditional British English, sure, they’re different: the farm animal is an ass, your buttocks are an arse — they’re spelled differently, and for many speakers they’re pronounced differently too (depending on accent). But in American English, both the buttocks and the animal are an ass, and are pronounced identically — perfect homonyms. (And using ass for the buttocks is now becoming more common in British English too, both in spelling and pronunciation.)
– PLL
Sep 10 at 12:59
|
show 8 more comments
It's just a typo, and it probably originally said "an ass". That would have been changed because it's incorrect (an ass is a donkey, not a horse–donkey cross) and, even if it were correct, the fact that ass means well, you know, ass, might be distracting enough to make it worth changing.
Another source of this kind of typo is when an adjective has been added or removed and the article hasn't been updated (e.g., "an elephant" becoming "an big elephant" or "an amazing coincidence" becoming "an coincidence"). That's presumably not happened in this particular text, since there are several instances of "an mule".
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
52
@DavidM Apparently, yes. If they'd posted it as an answer, I'd have seen it; this is part of the reason why we don't post answers in comments...
– David Richerby
Sep 9 at 21:17
12
Actually, ass is rather different from arse.
– Andrew Leach♦
Sep 9 at 22:02
9
"since there are several instances of "an mule" ... or somebody used find all and replace.
– muru
Sep 10 at 1:42
12
What about the mule deer example? Just a typo on it's own? I can't imagine an ass deer is a thing (and I'll admit, I'm afraid to Google it).
– PawnInGameOfLife
Sep 10 at 2:22
23
@AndrewLeach: In traditional British English, sure, they’re different: the farm animal is an ass, your buttocks are an arse — they’re spelled differently, and for many speakers they’re pronounced differently too (depending on accent). But in American English, both the buttocks and the animal are an ass, and are pronounced identically — perfect homonyms. (And using ass for the buttocks is now becoming more common in British English too, both in spelling and pronunciation.)
– PLL
Sep 10 at 12:59
|
show 8 more comments
It's just a typo, and it probably originally said "an ass". That would have been changed because it's incorrect (an ass is a donkey, not a horse–donkey cross) and, even if it were correct, the fact that ass means well, you know, ass, might be distracting enough to make it worth changing.
Another source of this kind of typo is when an adjective has been added or removed and the article hasn't been updated (e.g., "an elephant" becoming "an big elephant" or "an amazing coincidence" becoming "an coincidence"). That's presumably not happened in this particular text, since there are several instances of "an mule".
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
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It's just a typo, and it probably originally said "an ass". That would have been changed because it's incorrect (an ass is a donkey, not a horse–donkey cross) and, even if it were correct, the fact that ass means well, you know, ass, might be distracting enough to make it worth changing.
Another source of this kind of typo is when an adjective has been added or removed and the article hasn't been updated (e.g., "an elephant" becoming "an big elephant" or "an amazing coincidence" becoming "an coincidence"). That's presumably not happened in this particular text, since there are several instances of "an mule".
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
answered Sep 9 at 21:01
David RicherbyDavid Richerby
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
4,4302 gold badges16 silver badges35 bronze badges
52
@DavidM Apparently, yes. If they'd posted it as an answer, I'd have seen it; this is part of the reason why we don't post answers in comments...
– David Richerby
Sep 9 at 21:17
12
Actually, ass is rather different from arse.
– Andrew Leach♦
Sep 9 at 22:02
9
"since there are several instances of "an mule" ... or somebody used find all and replace.
– muru
Sep 10 at 1:42
12
What about the mule deer example? Just a typo on it's own? I can't imagine an ass deer is a thing (and I'll admit, I'm afraid to Google it).
– PawnInGameOfLife
Sep 10 at 2:22
23
@AndrewLeach: In traditional British English, sure, they’re different: the farm animal is an ass, your buttocks are an arse — they’re spelled differently, and for many speakers they’re pronounced differently too (depending on accent). But in American English, both the buttocks and the animal are an ass, and are pronounced identically — perfect homonyms. (And using ass for the buttocks is now becoming more common in British English too, both in spelling and pronunciation.)
– PLL
Sep 10 at 12:59
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show 8 more comments
52
@DavidM Apparently, yes. If they'd posted it as an answer, I'd have seen it; this is part of the reason why we don't post answers in comments...
– David Richerby
Sep 9 at 21:17
12
Actually, ass is rather different from arse.
– Andrew Leach♦
Sep 9 at 22:02
9
"since there are several instances of "an mule" ... or somebody used find all and replace.
– muru
Sep 10 at 1:42
12
What about the mule deer example? Just a typo on it's own? I can't imagine an ass deer is a thing (and I'll admit, I'm afraid to Google it).
– PawnInGameOfLife
Sep 10 at 2:22
23
@AndrewLeach: In traditional British English, sure, they’re different: the farm animal is an ass, your buttocks are an arse — they’re spelled differently, and for many speakers they’re pronounced differently too (depending on accent). But in American English, both the buttocks and the animal are an ass, and are pronounced identically — perfect homonyms. (And using ass for the buttocks is now becoming more common in British English too, both in spelling and pronunciation.)
– PLL
Sep 10 at 12:59
52
52
@DavidM Apparently, yes. If they'd posted it as an answer, I'd have seen it; this is part of the reason why we don't post answers in comments...
– David Richerby
Sep 9 at 21:17
@DavidM Apparently, yes. If they'd posted it as an answer, I'd have seen it; this is part of the reason why we don't post answers in comments...
– David Richerby
Sep 9 at 21:17
12
12
Actually, ass is rather different from arse.
– Andrew Leach♦
Sep 9 at 22:02
Actually, ass is rather different from arse.
– Andrew Leach♦
Sep 9 at 22:02
9
9
"since there are several instances of "an mule" ... or somebody used find all and replace.
– muru
Sep 10 at 1:42
"since there are several instances of "an mule" ... or somebody used find all and replace.
– muru
Sep 10 at 1:42
12
12
What about the mule deer example? Just a typo on it's own? I can't imagine an ass deer is a thing (and I'll admit, I'm afraid to Google it).
– PawnInGameOfLife
Sep 10 at 2:22
What about the mule deer example? Just a typo on it's own? I can't imagine an ass deer is a thing (and I'll admit, I'm afraid to Google it).
– PawnInGameOfLife
Sep 10 at 2:22
23
23
@AndrewLeach: In traditional British English, sure, they’re different: the farm animal is an ass, your buttocks are an arse — they’re spelled differently, and for many speakers they’re pronounced differently too (depending on accent). But in American English, both the buttocks and the animal are an ass, and are pronounced identically — perfect homonyms. (And using ass for the buttocks is now becoming more common in British English too, both in spelling and pronunciation.)
– PLL
Sep 10 at 12:59
@AndrewLeach: In traditional British English, sure, they’re different: the farm animal is an ass, your buttocks are an arse — they’re spelled differently, and for many speakers they’re pronounced differently too (depending on accent). But in American English, both the buttocks and the animal are an ass, and are pronounced identically — perfect homonyms. (And using ass for the buttocks is now becoming more common in British English too, both in spelling and pronunciation.)
– PLL
Sep 10 at 12:59
|
show 8 more comments
Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– tchrist♦
Sep 11 at 5:00
The perils of "Global" replace.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
Voting to close the Q as a NARQ.
– Kris
Sep 12 at 12:42
I don't understand why this question has been marked as off-topic. I think that this question concerns Word Choice and/or Grammar, and therefore is a fit for this site as defined in the Help Center.
– C Ren
Sep 13 at 18:11