Dumb Yank wants to know??

Oldmsct

Oldmsct

Zorg Addict
American Zeds
Joined
Aug 5, 2020
Points
63
Location
Delphi, Indiana
Model of Z
3.0I
Correct me if I'm wrong, (and I know you will) but as I understand it, in Britain, you blokes pronounce the letter "Z" as "ZED". In the U.S. we pronounce it "ZEE". If that's so, why do you call your cars "Zeds"? Wouldn't you just say "Zed" automatically when you see the letter "Z" ?🤔🤔
 
It's a fair point. I have a Zed but if I had two then I would have two Zeds. So, the official collective for a gaggle of Z3's is Zeds :thumbsup:
 
Maybe it just comes down to the fact that there are a number of "Z" models. Z1, Z3, Z4 (various) and of course Z8 (rare as Hens teeth)

Tony.
 
Just today I was talking to our new neighbours and they have a Z3, and I said to her that we sometimes have 10 Zeds (plural) here on a Shed day. Does that explain it? :)

Tony.
 
My Z is just a Z as in the alphabet ,we say Z and it hasn’t got a ed on the end of it :)
 
You are right we pronounce the letter Z (zed) but in conversation that letter gets changed as we do not say for instance zedoo for Zoo so the Z just becomes zeh in most words but yes the letter Z is Zed hence why we also have Nissan Z350 (Zed 350)
But also we call a Route (root) not a (rowt)
 
I think I understand your question! And you are right about the pronunciation.

So I think you are asking why generally we over-elaborate by turning written form from Z into Zed.

To be fair I don’t get that either. It’s a Z3 or Z4 to me, not Zed or even Z. Collectively they are Z3s and Z4s. But then I’m pretty rubbish at staying in line with everyone else.

I guess Zed is best described as a stylisation. Zedshed for instance looks better alliteratively than Zshed.
 
Actually @Oldmsct, you answered your own question. I think we (Brits) tend to write 'zed' because we know that some people/nationalities pronounce letters differently. In European countries, which have a variety of ways to pronounce the letter Z, many enthusiasts use the British pronunciation 'Zed' followed by their own language number. Eg, in Spain 'Zed cuatro' for Z4.
 
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Z Victor 1 said:
Actually @Oldmsct, you answered your own question. I think we (Brits) tend to write 'zed' because we know that some people/nationalities pronounce letters differently. In European countries, which have a variety of ways to pronounce the letter Z, many enthusiasts use the British pronunciation 'Zed' followed by their own language number. Eg, in Spain 'Zed quatro' for Z4.
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That’s probably very true actually. A bit of stamping our Britishness on things!
 
Not really, just that English is the most widely used language in the western world and consequently 'englishisms' get used a lot. We write 'zed' because that's the way we say it. Some people don't.
 
Z Victor 1 said:
Not really, just that English is the most widely used language in the western world and consequently 'englishisms' get used a lot. We write 'zed' because that's the way we say it. Some people don't.
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True. But the point of the post is that we share a common language with the US and still say the letter differently. So I tend to associate it more with our country and not our language. I would imagine US centric forums wouldn’t say Zed. But I might be wrong.
 
Don’t get me started on American English. It is a totally different language with some common words.;) And we had it first so ours is right!=))

Tony.
 
Well said Tony,

They wanted independance ..........so they missed out on getting all the upgrades to the English language =))=))=))=))
 
Mazza said:
Well said Tony,

They wanted independance ..........so they missed out on getting all the upgrades to the English language =))=))=))=))
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You 'avin a giraffe geezer, that's proper English like what Phil the Greek speaks when he's at home with the trouble and strife and bin lids and having a cup of rosie Lee :whistle:
 
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Why aye man!

Tony.
 
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