Alfred Molon wrote:

In article , Padraig
Breathnach says...

a European.

It's "an English", but "a European" - why ?

I wish I could answer clearly and succinctly.

The general rule is to use "an" before a word starting with a vowel.
It might be better to modify that to "before a word starting with a
vowel sound". Some words spelt with an initial vowel are pronounced as
if there is a "y" preceding them -- "european" is pronounced
"yooropean" (we leave aside the argument about whether "y" is a vowel:
sometimes it is; sometimes it is not).

I think it is something you pick up on a case-by-case basis.

--
PB
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