Reading (and usage) of 他: when is it 【た】, when is it 【ほか】?

Question

他 is one of these common words that still to this day confuses me... My general assumption is that: * used as a prefix, it should always be read 【た】, e.g.: 他人【たにん】 * when treated as a "substantive" (that is essentially, followed by の), it is 【ほか】: 他【ほか】の人【ひと】(?) But then, some expressions crop up, like 他の物, which my dictionary indicates as read 【たのもの】, and make me doubt whatever little I have deduced so far. Could anybody settle the た/ほか rules once and for all (and point out any nuance in meaning, if they exist, between the two usages)?

Answer 1

I would say there may be some exceptions, but the rule is pretty regular.