# Are Americans really unaware the letter "Z" is pronounced "Zed" in the UK/Australia/NZ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 3, 2013, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399 "2013-05-03T09:33:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/221 "2013-05-07T01:41:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Other than bloviating, does anyone have any actual evidence that Americans are any more parochial than residents of any other world power? This makes me think of this German lady I knew as an undergrad. She and her husband were both German, and he was there working on his master’s degree in German literature – this was in Texas, mind you! She was just along for the ride. At the time, I bought into the myth about Europeans all being polyglots and traveling extensively, but I came to find out that before meeting her husband, she’d never left Germany and couldn’t speak a word of anything other than German. At the time I met her, her English had become quite good, but I was surprised what a sheltered life she’d led back home. Traveling around Europe later, I was struck by the numbers of people who were about the same. America certainly has no monopoly on hicks. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/222 "2013-05-07T02:01:55Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > And for everyone else also - you do know that Zealand is really Dutch right? And dates back to the 10 Century… You misspelled [Danish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zealand), (unless you were talking about [the Brits choosing to misspell the Dutch Ze **e** land](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand#Etymology)). ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/223 "2013-05-07T05:04:57Z")
Not misspelled - just ignorant, mind you my ignorance is now fought! Long live the dope ---
**Author:** ![\_3Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b9e5f3/32.png) [@\_3Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_3Bill)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/224 "2013-05-07T06:04:58Z")
So in cartoons you guys snore, “Zed-zed-zed-zed-zed. . . .”? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/225 "2013-05-07T06:26:48Z")
> [@\_3Bill](#): > > So in cartoons you guys snore, “Zed-zed-zed-zed-zed. . . .”? No more than we snore “zee-zee-zee-zee-zee.” ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/226 "2013-05-07T06:43:42Z")
Jimmy Olsen’s signal watch: m[ade in America](http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/02/12/snark-free-corner-for-212/)! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/227 "2013-05-07T07:08:05Z")
> [@\_3Bill](#): > > So in cartoons you guys snore, “Zed-zed-zed-zed-zed. . . .”? Yes, that’s about right. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/228 "2013-05-07T07:19:21Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > So you don’t say zeeeebra ? Is this all parts of the UK? In the whole English-speaking world outside of North America, “zebra” is pronounced with a short E, like in the word “bed”, not a long E like in the word “need”. Zeb-ra, not zeeeeeee-bra. Zeeeeeeee-bra is a US (and maybe Canada) only pronunciation, and sounds ridiculous to non-American English speakers. If we wanted to mock Americans, saying “Zeeeeeeeeeeeeee-bra” would be one way of doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/229 "2013-05-07T07:40:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Is this supposed to be tongue-in-cheek? Because if you’re being serious, that’s just nuts. The UK has got the most variance in accents in a small geographic space I’ve experienced in any English-speaking country. I mean, you can be in a town where you understand everyone, then go a village or two over and be completely lost in a completely different accent. It’s quite fascinating from a linguistic standpoint for me. Accent’s a funny old thing really - I agree with your observation that the range and spread of accents in the UK is enormous, but it seems that the perception of difference and similarity in accents is highly subjective. I’m fairly sure I once presented a range of UK accents including Scots Highland, Geordie, Essex and Somerset, only to have English-speakers from outside of the UK say “Yeah - they’re all pretty much the same” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/230 "2013-05-07T07:52:35Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > So all these words sound different in the UK? > > zoo > zeal > zig > zag > zigzag > zoology > zoologist > zoom > zone > zinc > zit > > zither > zip > zipper > zodiac > zany > Zulu > Zen > zap > zenith > zero > zest > zillion > ziggura > zinnia Yes - they’re all different words. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/231 "2013-05-07T09:11:09Z")
> [@\_3Bill](#): > > So in cartoons you guys snore, “Zed-zed-zed-zed-zed. . . .”? That’s how I always read it in comics as a kid, yes. I’ve heard people here say they’re “Catching some Zeds” (having a sleep) without being ironic, too. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/232 "2013-05-07T16:42:30Z")
I knew the British used “Zed,” but I was absolutely shocked when I heard it from a Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/233 "2013-05-07T17:56:23Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > This. I would have thought it a name. Zed as in Zed Williams, famous cricket player or some such. In fact, the only time I heard it was in the movie “Men in Black” and it was the name of someone. There’s a whole pile of stuff I don’t understand watching shows from the other side of the pond. If a Canadian actor tried to say it in an American TV show they would have been forced at pun-point to say it correctly. > > Hearing it and understanding it are 2 different things. Googling Zed + obituary brings up a lot of real-life examples of men with the first name Zed, even men born as recently as 1989. Please tell me the rest of the world doesn’t refer to Jay-Zed. Because that would really mess up the flow. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/234 "2013-05-07T18:11:24Z")
> [@sugaree](#): > > Googling Zed + obituary brings up a lot of real-life examples of men with the first name Zed, even men born as recently as 1989. > > Please tell me the rest of the world doesn’t refer to Jay-Zed. Because that would really mess up the flow. At least in (some circles in) India, we make fun of people who are too wannabe by adding a Zed to their names and pronouncing it Zee. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/235 "2013-05-07T18:21:10Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Zeb-ra, not zeeeeeee-bra. Zeeeeeeee-bra is a US (and maybe Canada) I would agree about it being the case in Canada as well. I certainly use a long e, and I’m pretty sure everyone I know would as well. (And I grew up in Ottawa and moved to Edmonton, so that’s a sample from two distinct parts of the country). ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/236 "2013-05-07T18:28:18Z")
Zebra with a short e? This is another joke, Haha! You guys really love pulling our legs. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/237 "2013-05-07T19:44:47Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > I’ve never heard more variations on English than I have from people in the UK. There are number of different accents and race people in the UK. I said North America is most diversity in the world. There are people all other world living there . If you ever walk into Miami ,Houston or Toronto it will not feel like you are in country you know , you have all different race and ethnic of people. If you lived in small town or small city and gone to these big cities it be one big culture shock people all different race and people from different countries. > [@Wolf333](#): > > Just to add a data point… > > I lived in the UK for 17 months (early 1991-mid 1992), and I never heard the zed thing until I saw [this commercial](http://youtu.be/BRI-A3vakVg) in 1993. > > Seriously, if you went down to the pub to compare alphabets, you were doing something wrong. I’m sorry are you saying people have different accent and talk different than what is on your TV. So the Zed only in on your TV but at the pub it is not? > [@drewtwo99](#): > > Zebra with a short e? This is another joke, Haha! You guys really love pulling our legs. I don’t think you know what is short or long E . Short E bed / net Long E need / Bede Short E ( Z is always long Long E) there no short Z sound. Long E sound like Zeee The pronunciation of z sound like zee where in the UK it is short e. > [@Canadjun](#): > > I would agree about it being the case in Canada as well. I certainly use a long e, and I’m pretty sure everyone I know would as well. (And I grew up in Ottawa and moved to Edmonton, so that’s a sample from two distinct parts of the country). I thought some people in Canada call the letter short **E** but the pronunciation is like US the long **E**. Or may be different areas in Canada with different accents do it different. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/238 "2013-05-07T20:00:21Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > I’m sorry are you saying people have different accent and talk different than what is on your TV. > > So the Zed only in on your TV but at the pub it is not? > . No, what he seems to be saying is- either that it just doesn’t come up in day to day conversation (and it doesn’t), or that the Brits he talked to use “Zee” which is catching on (which it is). ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/239 "2013-05-07T21:36:22Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > I said North America is most diversity in the world. There are people all other world living there . If you ever walk into Miami ,Houston or Toronto it will not feel like you are in country you know , you have all different race and ethnic of people. This is not something unique to North America. > [@sweat209](#): > > I thought some people in Canada call the letter short **E** but the pronunciation is like US the long **E**. > > Or may be different areas in Canada with different accents do it different. The pronunciation of the word “zebra” has nothing to do with the pronunciation of the single letter “z.” It is completely possible to say “zed” but pronounce “zebra” with a long E. I don’t think you completely understand what “zed” is. It’s _only_ the single letter “z.” It has nothing to do with any of the words in the long list you made. Zachary doesn’t pronounce his name Zedachary. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399/240 "2013-05-07T21:46:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, what he seems to be saying is- either that it just doesn’t come up in day to day conversation (and it doesn’t), or that the Brits he talked to use “Zee” which is catching on (which it is). It is? I have lived in Britain for all my 36 years and have never heard a native Brit pronounce the letter as “zee”, except when mimicing an American, or in the context of an American name such as ZZ Top or Jay-Z. (No, we don’t call him Jay-Zed.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-really-unaware-the-letter-z-is-pronounced-zed-in-the-uk-australia-nz/657399.md?page=13)