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Zee or Zed?

How is the last letter of the English alphabet supposed to be pronounced?

  • Zee

    Votes: 18 51.4%
  • Zed

    Votes: 16 45.7%
  • Other (Please explain)

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Total voters
    35

Occams Barber

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Now for the greatest showdown since color and colour.

Contestants, on your marks, ready, set, FIGHT!

-CryptoLutheran

Zed is the original pronunciation and is used in all English speaking countries apart from those with an undue American influence on education or too much Sesame Street. Zee is rarely used outside of the US.

The Zee pronunciation is a recent, 17th century phonetic upstart with no possible claims to authenticity or primacy.

Summary: Zed is the original pronunciation and the most common across English speaking countries. :p

From zed | Search Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com)
zed (n.)
"the name of the letter Z in the alphabet," c. 1400, probably from Old French zede, from Late Latin zeta, from Greek zēta, from Hebrew zayin, letter name, literally "weapon;" so called in reference to the shape of this letter in ancient Hebrew. U.S. pronunciation zee is first attested 1670s. Other dialectal names for the letter are izzard, ezod, uzzard, and zod.

OB
 
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ViaCrucis

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Zed is the original pronunciation and is used in all English speaking countries apart from those with an undue American influence on education or too much Sesame Street. Zee is rarely used outside of the US.

The Zee pronunciation is a recent, 17th century phonetic upstart with no possible claims to authenticity or primacy.

Summary: Zed is the original pronunciation and the most common across English speaking countries. :p

From zed | Search Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com)
zed (n.)
"the name of the letter Z in the alphabet," c. 1400, probably from Old French zede, from Late Latin zeta, from Greek zēta, from Hebrew zayin, letter name, literally "weapon;" so called in reference to the shape of this letter in ancient Hebrew. U.S. pronunciation zee is first attested 1670s. Other dialectal names for the letter are izzard, ezod, uzzard, and zod.

OB

How yankee-doddle-dare-you. Thems fightin words. Every good civilized person can easily recognize that in the humble English alphabet there are a series of letters that rhyme. Bee, Cee, Dee, Ee, Gee, Pee, Tee, Vee, and yes, Zee. If it were to be admitted, this slanderous Zed, pray tell me whence is Bed, Ced, Ded, Ed, Ged, et al? Nay sir. Nay.

My bald eagle and I rest our case.

-Murica
 
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Friedrich Rubinstein

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In school here in Europe we learn British English. Zed. I had never heard anyone pronouncing that letter differently until I went abroad and tried to enter my apartment. My landlord spelled the door's code to me on the phone, and he said "Zee". Confusion big time! At first I thought he meant "C" until I dared to say "there is no Zee in the English Alphabet!".
The "Zeebra" helped me to enter my apartment, but I still think it should be "Zed" only :p
 
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Occams Barber

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How yankee-doddle-dare-you. Thems fightin words. Every good civilized person can easily recognize that in the humble English alphabet there are a series of letters that rhyme. Bee, Cee, Dee, Ee, Gee, Pee, Tee, Vee, and yes, Zee. If it were to be admitted, this slanderous Zed, pray tell me whence is Bed, Ced, Ded, Ed, Ged, et al? Nay sir. Nay.

My bald eagle and I rest our case.

-Murica


Look - I know your Founding Fathers (and Founding Mothers) were Alphabetically Challenged and, for that, you have my deepest sympathy. You even had that Webster fella messing around with your spellification.

The good news is that it's not genetic or even viral. Your chronic phonetic disadvantage can be overcome with a little effort and concentration. Once overcome we will welcome you back, with open arms, into the bosom of the English sprachbund.

NOTE: Sesame Street has to go :(

OB
 
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Tigger45

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Not even POTUS was guaranteed a bald eagle’s allegiance. ^_^


8AF2B109-6393-42AA-BCA0-1E6DF640B12A.gif

How yankee-doddle-dare-you. Thems fightin words. Every good civilized person can easily recognize that in the humble English alphabet there are a series of letters that rhyme. Bee, Cee, Dee, Ee, Gee, Pee, Tee, Vee, and yes, Zee. If it were to be admitted, this slanderous Zed, pray tell me whence is Bed, Ced, Ded, Ed, Ged, et al? Nay sir. Nay.

My bald eagle and I rest our case.

-Murica
 
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Occams Barber

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Interesting I never knew anyone (or place) pronounced Z as Zed! When they sing the Alphabet Song does it not rhyme? How do they pronounce EZ? What a strange world we live in.


Beyond the shores of 'Merica we ALL pronounce Z as Zed (even Canadians) :)

OB
 
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Quid est Veritas?

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Interesting I never knew anyone (or place) pronounced Z as Zed! When they sing the Alphabet Song does it not rhyme? How do they pronounce EZ? What a strange world we live in.
My children's alphabet song they sing in school is not the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star one, with a different rhythm and no words except the actual letter names - ending on Zed. I think that rhyming song is also an Americanism.
 
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Occams Barber

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My children's alphabet song they sing in school is not the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star one, with a different rhythm and no words except the actual letter names - ending on Zed. I think that rhyming song is also an Americanism.


The Interwebs never cease to amaze.

The Alphabet Song even has its own Wikipedia entry. For those of you who have never left the shores of the United States, note that the article also talks about 'Zee' being a strictly US pronunciation of Z.

The ABC song is the same tune as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Baa Baa Blacksheep. The original music is by Mozart (I kid you not). :)

OB

Alphabet song - Wikipedia
 
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Hmm

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ozso

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Zed is the original pronunciation and is used in all English speaking countries apart from those with an undue American influence on education or too much Sesame Street. Zee is rarely used outside of the US.

Even in New Zealand?
 
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