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I am confused if I should use "a" or "an" before RKHS (reproducing kernel Hilbert space). Since "R" is not a vowel, I think I should use "a". But I saw both on Wikipedia.

Can you tell me which is correct?

Thanks, Pan

panc
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    This is more of a question about English, not mathematics. But to help you out, if we voice it "Ar-Kay-Eitsj-Es", it's an. If it's "Rakhs" or something similar, it's a. The rule is not about how you write it, but rather about pronunciation. – Lord_Farin Feb 01 '15 at 20:41
  • If you care about things like this, you'll never finish writing. Just don't worry about it; no one cares. – user14717 Feb 01 '15 at 21:19

1 Answers1

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If you read it as an initialism, by saying the names of the letters, it begins with a vowel (sound), and you’d write an RKHS. If you use it as an abbreviation and actually say the words that it abbreviates, you’d write a RKHS, because it’s a reproducing kernel Hilbert space.

Brian M. Scott
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