99% of the time, I'm clear on when I should use "a" versus "an." There's one case, though, where people & references I respect disagree.
Which of the following would you precede with "a" or "an," and why?
- FAQ
- FUBAR
- SCUBA
[Note: I've read the questions "A historic…" or "An historic…"? and Use of "a" versus "an", but the rules given there don't necessarily apply here.]
[Edited to add]
Here's a shorter (and hopefully clearer) version of the question… In written English, which is correct (and why): "a FAQ" or "an FAQ"?
Some references with differing opinions:
- an: the UC San Diego Editorial Style Guide and Apple Publications Style Guide
- a: the Microsoft Manual of Style for Tech Publications, 3e
- either: the alt.usage.english FAQ and Yahoo! Style Guide
Best Answer
It depends on whether the abbreviation is an acronym or an initialism. As "fubar" and "scuba" are usually pronounced as a word (making them acronyms), it would make sense to say "a fubar" and "a scuba diver". "FAQ" is a bit harder, because I have heard people say it like an initialism: "‹f›‹a›‹q›", while others pronounce it as an acronym /fæk/. Therefore, one should write either "a FAQ" or "an FAQ" depending on how that person pronounces it, ie, whether it is an acronym or an initialism.