[kremlin]

I'm doing the course, as it's something I haven't learned in depth yet.

They mentioned pronunciation : 'S-Q-L' vs 'sequel'. I've always pronounced it S-Q-L. The lecturer implies there's no right answer, that 'sequel' is historical but 'S-Q-L' is preferred for international use.

The annoying thing, though, is that in writing a choice has to be made. If someone pronounces it 'S-Q-L' then to read 'a SQL query' is weird -- it should say 'an SQL query'. And vice versa for someone who pronounces it 'sequel'. 'an sequel query' isn't right.

So, in writing, what is correct? 'An sql query' or 'a sql query'?

[themartorana]

This is a question for English.StackExchange.

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/5265/an-sql-serve...

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/1016/do-you-use-a...

That said... As a native English speaker, I can infer your pronunciation from which of the options of "a" and "an" you decide to use.

FWIW, "an" is appropriate for any word starting with a vowel sound (whether or not it actually starts with a vowel) and inappropriate for any word that doesn't. "An historic" drives me nuts, but I'm one of those jerks. (My mother was an English teacher - I never stood an chance!)

[oalders]

On some level, I think you can still apply the "starts with a vowel" rule for SQL, since in this case "S" is really standing in for "ess" (assuming you're not saying "sequel", which I've never gotten into the habit of doing).

[pluma]

It's even simpler. The "starts with a vowel" rule is about pronunciation. The spelling is entirely orthogonal. If you pronounce "SQL" as "Ess-cue-ell", it's "an". If you pronounce it as "sequel", it's "a".

Aside: the reason "an" is also sometimes used for word starting with an "h" is that the "h" in those cases is silent and the pronounciation therefore starts with a vowel (following the silent "h"). There are some style guides that recommend using "an" for words where the "h" isn't silent (or "a" for words where it is) but they're just being intentionally obtrusive.

[themartorana]

Yes - exactly my point. It is interesting to learn, as another commented somewhere in this thread, that my brain just invokes the appropriate "sequel" vs. S.Q.L. just from whether or not someone includes the ever-so-important "n."

[kremlin]

It's not automatic for me, which is why I found it annoying enough to ask. If a writer writes 'an SQL query', that doesn't bother me at all, but if a writer writes 'a SQL query', it takes me a while before I start hearing it in my head as 'a sequel query' -- until then, it just sounds wrong.

Worse is that some writers seem to mix it up, use both periodically.

[derefr]

Generally in English, I think that when it's unclear whether the majority considers an abbreviation to be an acronym or a plain initialism, it's proper to treat the abbreviation as an initialism.

Importantly, people who have only ever read the abbreviation, and not heard it spoken aloud, will assume it's a plain initialism. It's better, I would think, to write something that reads properly to these people—something "more accessible."

The people who are aware of the acronym pronunciation, meanwhile, will be able to adapt their reading either way, because they're also aware that a plain-initialism reading exists, so you're not unduly burdening them in parsing the sentence.

[function_seven]

Wow. I never realized it but the author's choice of a/an dictates how I read it in my head. Without even thinking about it, if I see "an SQL query" I read it as "an es-queue-ell query". If it's written as "a SQL query", then I read "a sequel query"

But that doesn't answer your question. I suppose it's the same as when saying it. Pick one and stick with it, whatever your choice.

[strayptr]

I believe it's written "[Aa]n? (sql|SQL) query" but it depends on which standard library your native language is using.

[dragonwriter]

A choice has to be made in speech, as well. And, as there is no one clear correct answer in speech, and the choice in writing is based on the choice in speech, there is no one clear correct answer in writing. Choose one, and use it consistently within a given work, and you should be fine.

Of course, if its a work on SQL, you can normally avoid "a(n) SQL query" and just say a "a query" (with SQL implicit from context) or, in the less-common situation where you need to distinguish it from a query in a different query language, "a query in SQL".

[marpstar]

I always pronounced it 'S-Q-L' until I got a job where everyone says "sequel". Now I just say "sequel" to fit in, and because it's fewer syllables. Even if a text said "an SQL query", I would read it "a sequel query" without even thinking about it.

[GuiA]

Some languages, like French, have a group which can dictate what is and isn't correct in the language (as it turns out, the vast majority of French speaking people don't give a rat's butt about what the Académie Française thinks and still do as they please, but that's another story).

In English, however, there is no such authority. Whether you are writing a SQL query or an SQL query is all up to you. Aren't you happy you don't have an old wrinkly white French dude to chastise you about which one is correct?

[derefr]

Speaking of the Académie Française—do published works in France get "French-picked" to conform to proper Académie grammar?

[MichaelGG]

Furthermore, there's the QUEL language, and SQL is probably going off that, especially with the original name of SEQUEL. Here's an interesting post on it: http://patorjk.com/blog/2012/01/26/pronouncing-sql-s-q-l-or-...

FWIW, I use sequel as that's how I learned it. But I also dislike unnecessary syllables so that's my justification.

[bluedino]

To make things more confusion there is a software product called SEQUEL