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Z - Zed or Zee?

The Letter "Z" is Pronounced...

  • Zed

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Zee

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

Jools

Giga Poster
I think just from this topic, it is clear that it was origionally Zed, and americanisation has turned it into zee.

And about 'H', again it has always been 'aitch', although in some dialects it turned into 'haitch', again maybe americanisation, it may be because people thought it would be logic to have H beginning with a 'h', although this isn't what we find with C, F, I, L, M, N, R, S, W, X or Y.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Zed, except in certain situations. For example 'Zed-Zed Top' is just wrong :p
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Essentially, the move to Zee by the Americans was a way of distancing them from the British after the War of independence. You know, by saying one letter different you could tell if somebody was American or English - a fool proof plan. An Englishman would choke on his tea if forced by his country to say Zee instead on Zed to try and infiltrate the American army ;)

"Hey Joe! Do you think Spotty Watkins is really an American? Guy sure seems to drink a lot of tea, and look, he's having crumpets!"

"I don't know Bob, but he does pronounce Zee as Zee... The guy must be legit!"

Okay, we get it, you won. You beat the mad king who used to piss his own bed and claim the goblins were after his Special K (well done :p ). It was 230 years ago though, you can start speaking properly now you know? :p
 

tks

Strata Poster
Centuries of in-breeding have left the Americans with a somewhat different vocabulary and the strange trait of missing out u's from various words.
 

Karen

Hyper Poster
Zed.

This has been causing some fun in schools. Many kids are saying Zee because of the american films/games/programmes. Also some of the pre-school toys say Zee as they are not made in the UK!

Many kids are saying ZEEbra when in the UK most say ZEDbra.
 
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