Allthough i have to accept that this is a really serious issue that needs immediate editorial actions, suspension etc. i have some questions about it:
1) isn't this the correct us grammar (opposed to uk)?
2) how long does it usually take to get reapproved?
3) don't they have better things to do?
Hmpfff.
Unfortunately good grammer dictates the use of "an" in front of any vowel (a,e,i,o,u). This applies in both the Uk & NA. It's just that sometimes in the UK you can't always hear it clearly, :)
You use 'an' in front of words starting with a vowel (a,e,i,o etc), example: 'An example'.
This is the same in American English and British English.
Although I understand your frustration, I appreciate that Google worries about the grammar in ads, but I think they should just have corrected the mistake instead of not approving your ad.
Some words are spelled one way in the dictionary, but language being what it is, times change and spellings change.
Google have disallowed an ad of ours which ran perfectly well for months because the spelling is not in the dictionary. The ad only showed when people had searched for the word with the "wrong" spelling - so what harm was done?
No need to be so anal about it. Language is a dynamic thing.
Yes yes, i know this but i remember somebody here on the board said one day that saying "an example" reveals your european origin 'cause in the us you say "a example". Obviously totally wrong. ;)
Sadly, the best ad texts are always 1 letter too long. Maybe that's why they couldn't change it from "a" to "an"?
I'm with Google, I'd rather have no ad than an ad that has awkward grammar. Ads should be held to a much higher standard than what people type in in their searches.
Just my two cents...
One exception that has largely gone away, at least in the US, is the use of "an" before the letter "h", e.g., "an hotel". Today, "a hotel" is far more common.
You've gotta love English! ("gotta" = bad English ;))
It drives me insane when I hear our UK newsreaders talking about "An hurricane" etc... What is wrong with us English!
Ha! Ain't that the truth. :)
While this case does seem like a minor issue, I do like that Google does enforce sensible grammar in general. I've never had a problem with it, but I can see where it might happen because there are so many gray areas and stylistic differences in English language grammar.
One exception that has largely gone away, at least in the US, is the use of "an" before the letter "h", e.g., "an hotel". Today, "a hotel" is far more common.
The reason for this "exception" is that the "h" at the beginning of many words is silent, at least in some English dialects (exactly which words varies by dialect).
Thus, English speakers in general say "an honest man", because we don't pronounce the "h". I've had friends from the South (U.S. South that is) who would say, "he was an humble man," because this "h" was not pronounced in their region. Likewise, in certain dialects your example would be pronounced "an 'otel".
Even so, there are some words that people who DO pronounce the initial "h" may precede with "an", e.g., "historic" (also "historical"), as in "an historic moment". Some say this is simply an error, but I'm not so sure. An archaism perhaps. Or it may just be that some find "an historic" easier to articulate.
I think a the key is that in this case the syllable "his-" is UN-accented, and so the "h" is very weakly articulated, indeed almost lost. When it comes to the noun "history" --that is, when the syllable does have the accent-- the same people say "A history of. . . ."
Another example of this same pattern: there are many who say "a habit", but "an habitual liar".
Hopefully google knows their Portuguese grammer better than I do. :)
If G. simply refuses to run an ad and suggest why they are not running it - then it is up to the creator to change it or defend the current ad - but Google would not have any part in how the ad is actually handled by the creator.
Sadly, the best ad texts are always 1 letter too long.
Ha! Ain't that the truth. :)
My exhaustive studies have shown that if you increase the available space by one character, then you will immediatly think of a much better ad that is exactly one character too long. =:/
I suspect the rule is absolute.
Actually, I think johannamck is right, there is always one too few characters allowed.
But so is AWA, there is always one too few characters allowed (no matter how many are allowed).
If someone searches on "wrongg spelling", he clearly doesn't care, or even realise if I show an ad with "wrongg spelling", so all ads shown on Google and partner SEs should be exempted, at least in the case where the spelling mistake is in the keywords.
I often see Google mixing up languages of my ads, displaying German Ads for Danish searches or Italian for Spanish.... they even show ads where the keywords my ad is shown for were not in the search and were in a different language! Relevancy, hah!
I have been a professional technical editor in the past and still moonlight as one (volunteer role), so it bugs me when a Google editor decides that a word does not exist. I do support their role, because Google would look unprofessional if the ads had no quality control applied. I think you will see a parallel if the German Google site allowed us to post ads in clumsy German.
"A example" is indeed incorrect grammar in any country. The "h" words mentioned in the thread are not entirely silent hs to my ear (as bruhaha also says), so I have not understood why they need an "an". Americans pronounce "herbs" as "erbs", so I would agree with using an "an" there. :)
Ash
I'd add that there are a few exceptions - if the vowel has a consonant sound, like a "u" making a "y" sound, you'll use "a". For example , "a user-friendly interface" would be correct, rather than "an".
This is less an exception than the actual rule. Use 'an' before vowel sounds which start the next word, and 'a' before consonant sounds which start the next word. The rule is usually diluted down to the typical 'only use an before vowels' simply so kids will understand it when they're taught. :-)
It's not their job to be the grammer police
Maybe they are volunteers.
