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Z vs Zed


fraroc
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This is tangentially related to the Zee vs. Zed thing, so here goes...

 

Can someone tell me why we, in the English-speaking world at least, call certain countries by something other than their name? For example, there is a country called Deutschland. Why do we call it "Germany" when that is not it's name? Why do we need to Anglicize things?

I've always wondered about that, too.

Don't Germans refer to the country as Germany when speaking English??? If they want it known as Deutschland they should use that name only, it would catch on.

Like "Why why zed" has caught on stateside...Like "kah-rah-tey" [karate]...

Many state side pronounce it correctly. This example YYZ is a bit different, the song title is letters so you'll pronounce the letters as you do in your home version of English. Although I doubt Treeduck refers to the Camaro Z28 as the Zed 28.

I wasn't even serious about the why why zed bit. I was pointing more towards your "it would catch on" comment. The way natives pronounce things do NOT always catch on (with non-natives) no matter how many times they (the natives) pronounce it correctly.

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this is Merica
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The letter is pronounced "zip" and I can prove it.

 

What do you call this:

Reissverschluss_Helix.jpg

 

A "zedper"? A "zeeper"? No, you call it a "zipper"

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Efohardee efayiarelayenee essteeayarteeeedee teeachiess enohenesseeenessee..

 

And where are people getting the idea that letters need to say their own name when used??? It's not working too well for me.. seems downright foolish in fact lol

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YYZ, whether you pronounce "Z" as "zed" or "zee", is just the 3 digit airport code for the Toronto airport. That's what the name comes from (if they were from Los Angeles the song would be called LAX).

 

Though I vaguely recall something about the Morse Code pattern for YYZ influencing the rhythm. So maybe "LAX" would be a very different song. Who knows. Anyway, that's where the name comes From.

Edited by rftag
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