// this is just a cute little simul_efun to save some time and make things 
// look a little nicer... please use it when you need to.
// written by Buddha@tmi-2 on 12-5-92

string article(string str) {
	if (!str) return "";
	str = lower_case(str);
	if (member_array(str[0], ({ 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u' }) ) != -1)
		return "an";
	else return "a";
}