# How do you pronounce "Godzilla x Kong"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938 "2024-04-06T14:54:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/1 "2024-04-06T14:54:23Z")
Specifically, the “x”. Is it now an accepted abbreviation for “versus”, and therefore it’s “Godzilla versus Kong”? (And tangentially, when did this happen?) Or do you literally pronounce it “x” (which is stupid)? Or is it like “2 x 4” (2 by 4) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/2 "2024-04-06T15:00:37Z")
It could be wrong, but I have been pronouncing Spy X Family as “x” and not _versus_. So I guess I treat the X in these cases as simply X. I wonder if the X in place of vs. is from anime? That is where I saw it first and it goes back a while, at least a decade. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/3 "2024-04-06T15:00:58Z")
In one review I heard for it they said the x wasn’t supposed to be pronounced, and it was just said “Godzilla Kong.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/4 "2024-04-06T15:01:45Z")
“The cross product of Godzilla and Kong” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/5 "2024-04-06T15:10:53Z")
It looks like Hunter X Hunter got going in 1998 and might be the earliest popular example. I never watched this, so it didn’t come to mind, but apparently the X in Spy X Family was inspired by Hunter X Hunter. X=cross in Japan, and is often used where we would use vs. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/6 "2024-04-06T15:13:47Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > In one review I heard for it they said the x wasn’t supposed to be pronounced, and it was just said “Godzilla Kong.” Yes. > **[We've All Been Pronouncing 'Godzilla x Kong' Wrong, Apparently](https://www.themarysue.com/weve-all-been-pronouncing-godzilla-x-kong-wrong-apparently/)** > > Every time someone says the "x" out loud, David Zaslav deletes another movie. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/7 "2024-04-06T15:18:09Z")
FWIW, ESPN has started using it in graphics promoting upcoming events, eg “Warriors x Lakers”. But never said aloud. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/8 "2024-04-06T15:22:40Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > It looks like Hunter X Hunter got going in 1998 and might be the earliest popular example. > ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/9 "2024-04-06T17:53:40Z")
Looks like “Godzillacks Kong” to me. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/10 "2024-04-06T18:06:37Z")
I say "by’ I don’t know why I started saying that. The old lumber buyer in me, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/11 "2024-04-06T18:40:27Z")
How does one multiply Godzilla times Kong? It’s like “mass times the speed of light squared” or “apples times oranges”. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/12 "2024-04-06T20:19:08Z")
_Godzilla ex rel. Kong_ ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/13 "2024-04-06T20:35:00Z")
Its doubtless old news to most readers of the thread, but for the record there was ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ in 2021. They were versing (as the young people say, to their eternal shame) each other actively in that movie, where this current one I believe has much more of a reluctant partners brought to common purpose / bromance feel. Perhaps its X for kiss? (its own daunting choice - dragon breath vs face fuzz) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/14 "2024-04-06T20:54:09Z")
I always say “versus”. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/15 "2024-04-06T22:51:17Z")
I always say Gojira. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/16 "2024-04-06T22:52:13Z")
That would be _v_ in my thinking. I admit I tried to see it as a _v_ for a couple of times. Then I reversed, recalibrated and got _x_. Then the question was “How do I say this?” Yeah, I spent way too many minutes, I’ll never get back, on it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/17 "2024-04-07T02:51:21Z")
I “say” X in my head. But I’m still trying to figure out of \*American History X" is supposed to be an X or the tenth film in the series. And don’t make me contemplate “X vs Sever” ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/18 "2024-04-07T11:21:38Z")
Aren’t they friends in this movie? I thought they were teaming up to beat a common foe. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/19 "2024-04-07T11:30:24Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > “The cross product of Godzilla and Kong” This is the answer, of course. 😉 So you would pronounce it “Godzilla cross Kong.” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938/20 "2024-04-07T13:24:32Z")
Certainly not “versus” since they would have used “vs” like in the movie 2021 “Godzilla vs. Kong”. I assumed the point of the x was because they weren’t fighting each other in this movie, or at least not as much, and are fighting a common enemy. I would pronounce it “Godzilla ecks Kong”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-godzilla-x-kong/999938.md?page=2)