How is the letter "Z" pronounced?

@Lukster said:

I clicked "ZEE" by accident. Just keep that in mind.

Cool I did the opposite, accidentally so balance is restored.

@Neurotic said:

@AlexW00d said:

Al-oo-minum? Bah I say.

This. So much. I don't really care about other differences in American English but that one is the worst. Seriously, did you guys misread it or something?

Anyway, 'Zed' since I speak the Queen's.

I think it's less a matter of misreading it and more that aluminum is more efficient to say. One less syllable makes all the difference if you work at a can recycling facility I'm sure.

On that note, I don't have to form a "D" to say Zee, so I use that one. One less mouth movement, also more efficient.

Zed! Canada represent!

There is a reason the language is called English. I find it kind of funny though, when I went to the Oxford dictionary website they ask ed if I spoke "US English," or "World English."

Zee.

Zed? Fuck that noise.

Zed. I speak English.

Not quite sure what language Zee comes from, is it French?

Zee!

Zee.

Theta.

@Neurotic said:

@AlexW00d said:

Al-oo-minum? Bah I say.

This. So much. I don't really care about other differences in American English but that one is the worst. Seriously, did you guys misread it or something?

Anyway, 'Zed' since I speak the Queen's.

I use zed, but there's no goddamned second 'i' in aluminum.

@believer258

@AlexW00d said:

@Redbullet685 said:

I ain't British. Zee.

I'm not an idiot. Zed.

A different accent does not an idiot make.

Zee.

I pronounce it Zee but Zed is definitely closer to Zeta. Don't know why this is a topic worth calling people idiots over but okay.

Hmm. Maybe this threads title should be 'How is the letter Z pronounced when saying its name', because I sure as hell don't say ZEDoo for Zoo, and I've never heard an American say 'Zeeoo' for Zoo either. Z name = Zed or Zee, pronounciation is Zuh or Zee. I think. It's late here, shut up!

@MikkaQ: I'm sorry but there is no Aluminum on the table of elements.

Unless you guys discovered a new element without telling anybody.

The real question should be, How do you say 'h'"?

@Neurotic said:

@AlexW00d said:

Al-oo-minum? Bah I say.

This. So much. I don't really care about other differences in American English but that one is the worst. Seriously, did you guys misread it or something?

Anyway, 'Zed' since I speak the Queen's.

I use zed, but there's no goddamned second 'i' in aluminum.

@LTSmash: What are you, an idiot? H? It's said 'Huuukkkkkkkkaaghheeeecceeee'. Man, what a moron.

Omega, you new world bastards.

I'm canadian and i've always thought "zed" sounded stupid. I say zee.

@LTSmash said:

The real question should be, How do you say 'h'"?

Haytch. I get a lot of shit for saying it that way for some reason...

Zed. Canada stand UUUUUUUPP! On a related note, any other Canadians remember the show Poka Dot Shorts that was on TVO where they re-wrote the ABC's to be Canadian appropriate, when I think of the alphabet I still think of it in that sing-songy way.

The only time I call it zed is when I'm talking about integers.

I never knew about this difference. Also, I thought of Power Rangers when I saw this.

@MooseyMcMan said:

Zee.

Fuck yea

As an Englishman, I must insist on Zed. 
 
...But I prefer Zee.

@Canteu said:

@MikkaQ: I'm sorry but there is no Aluminum on the table of elements.

Unless you guys discovered a new element without telling anybody.

What you mean this little element right here?

i love Jay ZED

@NegativeCero said:

I never knew about this difference. Also, I thought of Power Rangers when I saw this.

Lord Zed would be able to tell us how to truly say the letter Z.

Zed because that's how we say it in Canada!

Zee

Implying only the UK says zed.

Oh US, are you even trying?

@FluxWaveZ said:

"Zee" and I'm from Canada.

You're doing it wrong.

You guys do realize Zed is the only letter that ends in a hard consonant?

THAT'S JUST CRAZEDY

Zii

us vs them: the thread

Im a Canadian and I think partially because I grew up in a environment where we were always told how we, as Canadians, do things differently from Americans, I am hypersensitive to these types of things. Meaning I will always make a conscious decision of which one I choose to speak. In other words, I will never say Zee or Zed without a completely blatant decision in my mind. Kinda like manually breathing or blinking. Same thing goes with the different spellings we have (i.e. Socialise vs. Socialize or Color vs. Colour). In saying that, I probably say "Zee" more often just because of how it rhymes with the ABCs song I learnt growing up and how I pronounce it Zee-bra.

I also feel that any Canadian who says that they instinctively pronounces it "Zeh-bra" probably either is also hypersensitive to these types of differences or has had parents or friends that speak with a Old World English accent.

In the end there is no one correct form.

It should be pronounced Zed. Zee sounds to much like 'C'.

@Canteu said:

@MikkaQ: I'm sorry but there is no Aluminum on the table of elements.

Unless you guys discovered a new element without telling anybody.

What you mean this little element right here?

American, "zee." I like zed, though.

@AlexW00d said:

@MikkaQ

@Canteu said:

@MikkaQ: I'm sorry but there is no Aluminum on the table of elements.

Unless you guys discovered a new element without telling anybody.

What you mean this little element right here?

Oh my giddy god you Americans have actually altered the periodic table for your dumb version of our language? Next it'll be sodum and lithum and potassum and, yeah, you get it.

More like we've made it better. Have fun flailing your tongue like a crazed animal with that extra syllable.

Also I live in Canada, just clearing that up. Even the commonwealth regonizes how backwards England English is.

@AlexW00d said:

@MikkaQ

@Canteu said:

@MikkaQ: I'm sorry but there is no Aluminum on the table of elements.

Unless you guys discovered a new element without telling anybody.

What you mean this little element right here?

Oh my giddy god you Americans have actually altered the periodic table for your dumb version of our language? Next it'll be sodum and lithum and potassum and, yeah, you get it.

I'd be up for renaming it Al Gore frankly. But I guess Aluminium will do.

zeeee

I'm English and yeah, it would sound really weird to me if the alphabet didn't end; ex, wye, zed.

Here:

In the end, does it even matter? I think this is pretty good. I'm from Seattle Washington, and I guess she does it pretty well.

lots of canadians saying they say it zed, but most canadians I've met have said zee; maybe it's a BC thing or somethin

@MikkaQ said:

More like we've made it better. Have fun flailing your tongue like a crazed animal with that extra syllable.

Also I live in Canada, just clearing that up. Even the commonwealth regonizes how backwards England English is.

If, while pronouncing a word, you use motions that one could only describe as 'flailing', then you're doing it wrong. The majority of the Commonwealth uses British English anyway.

I believe we've had this discussion before. And back then I pronounced it "Zee."

@IkariNoTekken said:

I'm English and yeah, it would sound really weird to me if the alphabet didn't end; ex, wye, zed.

I was just thinking how odd it would be FOR it to end that way. All of the phrases in the ABC song we learn as kids end with an "ee" sound.

ABCDEFGee, HIJKLMNOPee, QRSTUVee, WXY and Zee. Now I know my ABC's. Next time won't you sing with me.

@AlexW00d said:

@MikkaQ

@Canteu said:

@MikkaQ: I'm sorry but there is no Aluminum on the table of elements.

Unless you guys discovered a new element without telling anybody.

What you mean this little element right here?

Oh my giddy god you Americans have actually altered the periodic table for your dumb version of our language? Next it'll be sodum and lithum and potassum and, yeah, you get it.

More like we've made it better. Have fun flailing your tongue like a crazed animal with that extra syllable.

Also I live in Canada, just clearing that up. Even the commonwealth regonizes how backwards England English is.

@AlexW00d: I've never seen it spelled with an extra i.

"zjhee"

@AlexW00d said:

So what you're saying is you want us all to communicate in grunts? What is with this over simplifying the English language that the US have started (and seemingly some Canadians have joined). Do you guys really struggle with it that much? Your is written your, so is colour. One of those has an O sound one a more U-like sound, note which takes away the U. At this point I wish the Empire didn't conquer half the world that way our language wouldn't be so butchered :(

That's fair enough, but how do you explain the way you guys skip over certain letters in many of your words and then add them to the end of others? For example, the word "car" has an R on the end. The word "idea" doesn't.

I have no "idear" why you mix them up. :P

@AlexW00d: Actually we changed it out of respect for the Power Rangers who have been relentlessly persecuted by Lord Zedd. Have some courtesy you xenophobic British jerk.