# how would you spell the colloquial shortening of "usual" to one syllable? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198 "2016-01-05T05:13:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/1 "2016-01-05T05:13:27Z")
as in “watcha doin’?” “just the us(ual)”…which retains the sound of the “s” in “usual”…I am certain there is a fancy official phonetic spelling/symbol that hardcore word geeks understand when they see it, but what about the average Joe? It’s not “sh”, it’s not “zh”…what the hell is it? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/2 "2016-01-05T05:28:27Z")
I looked for one a few weeks ago and there isn’t a good colloquial version. I think I ended up going with yooszh. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/3 "2016-01-05T05:36:02Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I am certain there is a fancy official phonetic spelling/symbol that hardcore word geeks understand when they see it /yuʒ/ > [@](#): > > It’s not “sh”, it’s not “zh”…what the hell is it? ʒ **is** usually expressed as “zh” without special characters. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/4 "2016-01-05T06:26:44Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > ʒ **is** usually expressed as “zh” without special characters. Yeah, I often watch TV with English subtitles / closed captions on when it’s hard to hear for some reason, or they just have a lot of muddy dialogue (often compounded by accents). I can say for a fact I’ve seen this spelled out in captions at least twice, and they opted for “uzhe” as the spelling. Of course, I’ve also seen a ton of bad captioning (for recorded rather than live TV, which is of course more error prone because they use the court reporter thing for the latter), where it seems like they’re barely trying to get it right. Liberal paraphrasing of long sentences into shorter ones, frequent blatant mistakes, etc. But at least the two times I’ve seen this shortened word it was consistent, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/5 "2016-01-05T15:34:45Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > as in “watcha doin’?” “just the us(ual)”…which retains the sound of the “s” in “usual”…I am certain there is a fancy official phonetic spelling/symbol that hardcore word geeks understand when they see it, but what about the average Joe? I recommend shooting each average Joe that uses that construction. Over time, the problem will be solved. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/6 "2016-01-05T16:09:10Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > I recommend shooting each average Joe that uses that construction. Over time, the problem will be solved. I didn’t realize that the Dowager Countess of Grantham was posting here! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/7 "2016-01-05T16:39:51Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Yeah, I often watch TV with English subtitles / closed captions on when it’s hard to hear for some reason, or they just have a lot of muddy dialogue (often compounded by accents). I can say for a fact I’ve seen this spelled out in captions at least twice, and they opted for “uzhe” as the spelling. Seeing “uzhe” and not knowing what it’s _supposed_ to be, many might sound it as “oozhe” instead. I think “yoozh” is more clear. My .02. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/8 "2016-01-05T17:37:12Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Seeing “uzhe” and not knowing what it’s _supposed_ to be, many might sound it as “oozhe” instead. I think “yoozh” is more clear. My .02. You obviously haven’t spent much time in New Jersey. That would be the plural of “you”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/9 "2016-01-05T17:41:19Z")
Yule. Stand-ud Mercan pruns-uh-ation. ---
**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:** [January 5, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/10 "2016-01-05T17:45:41Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Seeing “uzhe” and not knowing what it’s _supposed_ to be, many might sound it as “oozhe” instead. I think “yoozh” is more clear. My .02. I’d be tempted to pronounce it “uz he” (two syllables). Although part of the problem is that this “colloquial shortening of ‘usual’ to one syllable” is not something I remember ever encountering. I had to read the OP to find out what it was. So, given that I never say or, as far as I can remember, hear it, spelling it is a non-problem. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/11 "2016-01-05T17:56:58Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > I recommend shooting each average Joe that uses that construction. Over time, the problem will be solved. I’ve never heard such a construction. I hope I never do. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/12 "2016-01-05T18:16:17Z")
How `bout “uzsh” ? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/13 "2016-01-05T18:53:09Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You obviously haven’t spent much time in New Jersey. That would be the plural of “you”. Wouldn’t that be yooz? Not yoozh? I grew up in NY, and I spent a little time in NJ when I wasn’t focused on getting out of there. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/14 "2016-01-05T18:56:14Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’d be tempted to pronounce it “uz he” (two syllables). > > Although part of the problem is that this “colloquial shortening of ‘usual’ to one syllable” is not something I remember ever encountering. I had to read the OP to find out what it was. So, given that I never say or, as far as I can remember, hear it, spelling it is a non-problem. Same here, I have never said yoozh. However I liken it to cazh, for casual. I’ve used cazh a couple of times, ever, in my life. But I yoozh say casual. ETA: the sound in the word casual is how I would spell using zh. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/15 "2016-01-05T22:03:45Z")
Only a hipster would say ushz. Even rednecks pronounce it fully. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/16 "2016-01-06T00:25:00Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > /yuʒ/ Might want to start that with a j. ---
**Author:** ![Annadroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Annadroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annadroid)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/17 "2016-01-06T00:31:24Z")
My usual monosyllabic term for “usual” would be “stock” or “set”. EG My stock monosyllabic term for “usual” might be “set”. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/18 "2016-01-06T02:20:20Z")
the closest I can recall ever encountering any uttered shortening of the word usual was contracting it thus “us’l” pronounce youshull, typically by people in inebriated states of being. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/19 "2016-01-06T04:35:18Z")
I’ve only ever heard anyone shorten it to sound like use. And it was weird when they did it. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198/20 "2016-01-06T06:12:23Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Might want to start that with a j. That does sound better now that I look at it, I just copied, pasted, and truncated. Apparently Random House says they use IPA, but it’s not really IPA? 😕 /y/ is a sound that does exist, but not normally in English. The ü sound in many languages, or close enough. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-spell-the-colloquial-shortening-of-usual-to-one-syllable/742198.md?page=2)