# Usage of a/an with parenthesis within sentence **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881 "2016-05-16T01:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/21 "2016-05-16T19:19:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Use of _an_ vs. _a_ is not a grammatical issue, since the words are grammatically identical. It doesn’t matter which word the article is referring to. It is entirely a pronunciation issue. Which one to use depends on how the following word is pronounced. If it begins with a vowel sound, use _an_, if not, use _a_. That’s really the only rule that applies here. Read my post above. My point is that in some (granted rare) situations speakers “bend” phonological rules. (When you have to transcribe hours of speech for discourse analysis you will learn this.) They do this deliberately because they wish to convey some other dimension of the discourse. And, as I said above, I’m not saying that’s necessarily what’s happening in the OP’s example, but it is possible. When people talk, they occasionally take on agency that transcends phonology. The grammatical distinction had nothing to do with the article (_a/an_) itself, but the adverbial function of _in hindsight_ as part of noun phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/22 "2016-05-16T20:00:32Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Read my post above. My point is that in some (granted rare) situations speakers “bend” phonological rules. (When you have to transcribe hours of speech for discourse analysis you will learn this.) They do this deliberately because they wish to convey some other dimension of the discourse. And, as I said above, I’m not saying that’s necessarily what’s happening in the OP’s example, but it is possible. When people talk, they occasionally take on agency that transcends phonology. > > The grammatical distinction had nothing to do with the article (_a/an_) itself, but the adverbial function of _in hindsight_ as part of noun phrase. The OP’s question is about what is correct. And since he mentions parentheses, it’s clear that he’s asking about written communication, not speech. Now speakers may as you say “bend phonological rules” but the fact that they’re bending them indicates the they’re not being strictly correct. While it’s an interesting side discussion in the context of how people speak, it’s not really relevant as an answer to the OP’s question. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/23 "2016-05-16T21:12:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Use of _an_ vs. _a_ is not a grammatical issue, since the words are grammatically identical. This is not true. This is a question of morphology, which is part and parcel of grammar, at least in the linguistic sense. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/24 "2016-05-16T21:30:25Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > This is not true. This is a question of morphology, which is part and parcel of grammar, at least in the linguistic sense. Fine. The point I was making was that in writing, it’s not an issue of which word the article is modifying or its part of speech, but merely of the pronunciation of the following word. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/25 "2016-05-17T00:47:37Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > This is not true. This is a question of morphology, which is part and parcel of grammar, at least in the linguistic sense. Then why don’t we say “an green apple”? Or would you, if it were “an (green) apple”? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/26 "2016-05-17T02:17:16Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I think the parenthesis are wrong. “We have the Parenthesis disease in our literature, too; and one may see cases of it every day in our books and newspapers: but with us it is the mark and sign of an unpracticed writer or a cloudy intellect…” Mark Twain, “The Awful German Language” ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/27 "2016-05-17T04:59:06Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The OP’s question is about what is correct. And since he mentions parentheses, it’s clear that he’s asking about written communication, not speech. Now speakers may as you say “bend phonological rules” but the fact that they’re bending them indicates the they’re not being strictly correct. > > While it’s an interesting side discussion in the context of how people speak, it’s not really relevant as an answer to the OP’s question. Quite true, quite true, but since that particular aspect of the OP’s question (_a_ vs. _an_ in general) was quickly answered in one or two posts (as it is _ **every frickin’ time this question comes up here** _), I wanted to get at the only redeeming point of discussion that remained in this thread, which is why someone would _ **even consider** _ writing a sentence like \*John had a (in hindsight, very interesting) thought. 😕\*and I’m pretty sure it has to do with the undue influence or oral language. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/28 "2016-05-17T06:44:06Z")
_Influence,_ yes. _Undue,_ I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881/29 "2016-05-17T14:39:06Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I wanted to get at the only redeeming point of discussion that remained in this thread, which is why someone would _ **even consider** _ writing a sentence like \*John had a (in hindsight, very interesting) thought. 😕\*and I’m pretty sure it has to do with the undue influence or oral language. Perhaps you are way overthinking this. I read that as the OP setting off the words so that we can judge the a/an question, not that the sentence would be written with the parentheses. And, “undue influence or [sic] oral language”? WTF? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usage-of-a-an-with-parenthesis-within-sentence/754881.md?page=1)