Guest Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I am just finishing a presentation and this morning one of the bullets said; "...as an European leader" and I changed "an" to "a" but the Sales Manager has changed it back to "an" and I want to make it "a"... Who's right? I can already guess that it is not me - but it looks annoying as "an" Dan - your sales manager is being pedantic (and possibly wrong) If it is a spoken presentation and the bullet points are simply back-up to what is being said then you would say "A European" every time. There is a very strong case for saying this is grammatically correct - because "Eu" is pronounced as a "y" and is therefore a surrogate consonant and not (in effect) a vowel... if you are presenting in wales - then they don't pronounce European the same - they pronounce it more like ooropean - in which case you would say "an" - but I presume you are presenting in England - so I would stick with "A European". I would correct you if you put "A hotel" - because I'm pedantic too - maybe you should introduce me to your Sales Manager - we'd get on!!! - but in this case I think you have at least as much grammatical authority for your version as he does for his... - though he is forgetting the most importasnt rule of presentation.. a presentation is supposed to communicate - and if you write something as ridiculous as "An European leader" for a bullet point - then you will have lost most of the audience because they will sit there thinking - "that's stupid" - or "that's pedantic" or.. "that's just plain wrong - why didn't he consult Phil, first..." of course if it is a bullet point - then the fewer words the better - so why not simply put "European leader"... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 (edited) Well put Phil . I remembered the same rules from my English lessons at school, but Googled to check my memory (never good at the best of times) and came up with the same as you, which was reassuring. Edited July 20, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I don't know why you first thought of me Dan - but thank you! Phil provided a much better answer than I could have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Yes, good answer & I hope it sorted it out for you Dan. But, I refuse to say an Hotel. I'm English & therefore pronounce the H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 The breakfast at mcd's is the only thing I will ever eat there I used to love the sausage and egg muffins but where I live now there is no obvious one to go to so I don't get tempted There is one in Galashiels but I am far too lazy to make the effort to go to it but if I have to come to London for work I always try to sneak one (or two ) in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleata Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 hi everyone, we just joined a organic box scheme from hopwood organics in solihul. they do a weekly or fortnighly drop. thier first drop to us was last friday. may i say its great we spent £17 on the delivery which is only round a fiver more then we would nprmally spend over the two weeks on fresh veg and fruit so not really much extra the seasonal box was £15 i think and we had a few extras added in. no delivery charged and we got free organic new potatoes too http://www.hopwoodorganic.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Hi Dan, We are near the cheshire staffs border not far from shropshire, which company did you use? I tried on a while ago and she kept putting in things I asked not to as much as OH and I will eat almost anything, it's hard to find a million and one uses for jerusalem artichokes or similar that appeal to my children karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
