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Generate the answer for a given question. The question requires common knowledge of English. Make sure that the answer is in detail, long, consistent with the context, and requires general knowledge of English. To be less repetitive, please vary your language for each question. Give a proper explanation to answer, and if necessary, provide the definition of various terms. And conclude your answer if it's long. If you have used other resources (e.g., Merriam Webster's.) to answer the question, include citations in your answer. You don't need to paraphrase the context of your resources, but make sure that your answer is consistent and complete.

The word year when pronounced starts with a phonetic sound of e which is a vowel sound making it eligible for being preceded by an. Yet, we tend to write a year. Why?.
Output:
I reject your premise that the word year starts with a phonetic sound of e. Here's how it is pronounced according to the various dictionaries: Wiktionary: (RP) IPA: /ji/, /j/, SAMPA: /ji@/, /j3:/; (US) enPR: yir, IPA: /ji/, SAMPA: /jir/ Merriam-Webster: \yirAmerican Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: /yir/ Collins English Dictionary: /j/ Words that start with the /j/ sound are preceded by an a, not by an an. Compare: a user, a utility, a yak.