Why do you brits say "Zed" instead of just Z

[Smoke]

So much brainwashing going on in this thread. Numbers scares the hell out of me as always, and you Brits are so confused you don't know what's going on with your alphabet. You can't just call a band "Zee Zee Top" then turn around and try to get away with Z = zed. It just doesn't work like that.

Yes we can.

 

[Hullu]

I pronounce it zed zed top. Nobody ever complained.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

I pronounce it zed zed top. Nobody ever complained.

You world is about to be turned upside down.

 

[Vegeta897]

What about that common expression you see on products or commercials, "E-Z" As in "easy". Not "E-Zed"

 

[SimonomiS]

What about that common expression you see on products or commercials, "E-Z" As in "easy". Not "E-Zed"

You believe everything commercials and product names tell you?

 

[Narcolepsy]

You believe everything commercials and product names tell you?

We're American so... yes. (LOL)

 

[Vegeta897]

You believe everything commercials and product names tell you?

What does this have to do with believing? I'm just saying the Zed pronounciation ruins the term "EZ"

 

[ríomhaire]

Why Zed? It sounds ridiculous.. No other letter makes a sound anything like that.. Ay Bee See Dee Ee Eff Gee etc.. It's not Ay Bed Sed Ded Eed Fed Ged.

H(is there a phoenetic way of spelling that?), I(Eye), F(Eff), M(Emm) and N(Enn) are different too. Lets change them to Hee, Eee(which is already taken ), Fee, Mee and Nee!

 

[Vegeta897]

H(is there a phoenetic way of spelling that?), I(Eye), F(Eff), M(Emm) and N(Enn) are different too. Lets change them to Hee, Eee(which is already taken ), Fee, Mee and Nee!

They still use only add vowels to pronounce them. Zed adds a D and that's just crazyness.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

An American coined the term Aluminum without the extra i.

He also coined it without the "n".

In English-speaking countries, the spellings (and associated pronunciations) aluminium and aluminum are both in common use in scientific and nonscientific contexts. In the United States and English-speaking Canada, the spelling aluminium is largely unknown, and the spelling aluminum predominates. Elsewhere in other English-speaking countries the spelling aluminium predominates, and the spelling aluminum is largely unknown.

The "ium" spelling is the most widespread version around the world. The word is aluminium in French, Aluminium in German, and identical or similar forms are used in many other languages. Consequently it is the more common of the two spelling methods.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) adopted aluminium as the standard international name for the element in 1990, but three years later recognized aluminum as an acceptable variant. Hence their periodic table includes both, but places aluminium first. IUPAC officially prefers the use of aluminium in its internal publications, although several IUPAC publications use the spelling aluminum.

The IUPAC slept with your mom.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[pomegranate]

Why Zed? It sounds ridiculous.. No other letter makes a sound anything like that.. Ay Bee See Dee Ee Eff Gee etc.. It's not Ay Bed Sed Ded Eed Fed Ged.

There are lots of letters that have a unique sound in the alphabet, not just 'British Z'. Or would you advocate changing pronounciation of W to 'wee'?

edit: ok so Riomhaire already made the same point....

 

[kirovman]

Aee, Fee, Hee, Iee, Jee, Kee, Lee, Mee, Nee, Oee, Qee, Ree, See (sounds the same as C), Uee, Wee, Xee, Yee, Zee.

There's a sobering thought.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

H(is there a phoenetic way of spelling that?)

Aitch.

 

[DreadLord]

edit: ok so Riomhaire already made the same point....

And Vegeta pwnt it.

 

[Vegeta897]

Aitch.

Nah, that could be misinterpreted as the sound in "pie".

I'd spell it aytch.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

Nah, that could be misinterpreted as the sound in "pie".

I'd spell it aytch.

I would think ay would be interpreted as "eye" when it is at the front of a word. To me when ai is in front it sounds like "a" in wraith, or bait, or even ain't, even though ain't ain't an official word.

 

[SimonomiS]

What does this have to do with believing? I'm just saying the Zed pronounciation ruins the term "EZ"

Is that a valuable term for you?

"Oh no, now I'll have to use two entire extra letters for easy!"

 

[pomegranate]

And Vegeta pwnt it.

Hardly. Everyone says 'Double-yoo', and that has no less than two additional consonant sounds, completely invalidating Vegeta's point, as I don't see him arguing "'Double-yoo' is totally retarded, it should be 'wee'".

 

[Vegeta897]

Is that a valuable term for you?

"Oh no, now I'll have to use two entire extra letters for easy!"

You're missing the point.

 

[Que-Ever]

ah, beh, seh, cheh, deh, eh, effeh, heh, achee, eeh, hotah, kah, elleh, eyeh, emeh, eneh, enyeh, ooh, peh, coo, ere, errrrrrrre, eseh, teh, ooh, ubeh, dooblebeh, ehkees, eegreaygah, setah.

 

[ríomhaire]

They still use only add vowels to pronounce them. Zed adds a D and that's just crazyness.

And H

I'd spell it aytch.

 

[evil^milk]

ah, beh, seh, cheh, deh, eh, effeh, heh, achee, eeh, hotah, kah, elleh, eyeh, emeh, eneh, enyeh, ooh, peh, coo, ere, errrrrrrre, eseh, teh, ooh, ubeh, dooblebeh, ehkees, eegreaygah, setah.

heh was that in spanish?

 

[kirovman]

heh was that in spanish?

Some of the pronunciations sounded French. So yeah, probably Spanish.

 

[SimonomiS]

You're missing the point.

No, you're drunk!

 

[Que-Ever]

heh was that in spanish?

yeah. I also put in some spanish letters- double Ls, double Rs, that N with the tilde.

 

[Vegeta897]

No, you're drunk!

 

[theotherguy]

ah, beh, seh, cheh, deh, eh, effeh, heh, achee, eeh, hotah, kah, elleh, eyeh, emeh, eneh, enyeh, ooh, peh, coo, ere, errrrrrrre, eseh, teh, ooh, ubeh, dooblebeh, ehkees, eegreaygah, setah.

ah, and in german!

Ah, bay, tsay, day, ay, ef, gay, ha, ee,yot, kah, el, em, en, o, pay, koo, air, ess, tay, oo, fow, veh, eeks, upsilon, set, esset

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I guess, because with a multi-cultural country, it makes sense saying Zed, so not to get mixed up with C. With different accents, social upbringing and delivery speeds, it just prevents complications.

 

[Jerry_111]

Why do you Americans pronounce it Zee?

 

[MorganFreeman911]

Canadians say "zed" too. However I have alreays refused it, saying "zee' instead.

Ever heard of a zed-bra or added a zed-ro to the end of a number?

This also applies to other letters, words or pronunciations (which I use incorrectly )

No we dont
The damn Newfies say that.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

Why do you Americans pronounce it Zee?

It's what we were taught. Only Zed I know was a Power Rangers enemy.

 

[Que-Ever]

british kindergarden class-

"...X, Y, Zed."

Zed-

*snore* "zz-huh? wha? stupid kids."

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

For those of you arguing the ridiculous ZZ Top point, "ZZ Top" is a Proper Noun, and is to be pronounced as it was created. Duh.

 

[Hullu]

So 'z's in proper nouns should be pronounced how exactly? I've no idea how it was created to be pronounced.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

"ZZ Top" was conceived as "Zee Zee Top", so that's how it should be pronounced, irrespective of the country you're from.

 

[Alig]

Granted it sounds better than ZEEEE but, why say Zed?

and before someone says it "Zed's dead baby"

Zee (z) sounds like Cee (c) ..my guess.

 

[99.vikram]

^True.

Tis also cooler.