# Just the F.A.Q.'s, ma'am (pronunciation) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339 "2006-10-21T14:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/1 "2006-10-21T14:53:23Z")
A sidebar has come up in this thread about the pronunciation of F.A.Q., which is an abbreviation for Frequently Asked Questions: [hebrew speakers - are you offended by Microsoft’s profanity?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=392973) I’ve never heard anybody pronounce it “facks” as is suggested by posters in the GQ thread. That just sounds weird and it’s too close to “facts” for me to feel comfortable using it. Furthermore, “facts” makes just as much sense as “faqs” in most contexts. Regard: Check the faqs. Where the context is web pages, this could be heard as being asked to check either the facts or the F.A.Q.s. I always say the full phrase “frequently asked questions”. It’s not really a chewy mouthful and it ensures that I won’t have to clarify when I’m asked “check what facts?” if I had said “faqs”. What say you? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/2 "2006-10-21T14:58:07Z")
“Facks” is perfect if you are old enough. “Just the facks ma’am, nothing but the facks.” ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/3 "2006-10-21T15:19:24Z")
I’d nominate Fack as the standard pronounciation, and F.A.Q. as unusual based on my experience. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone call it anything other than a fack. The only time I don’t call it a fack is when I’m talking to someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience on the net, which is when I’d call it the Frequently Asked Questions, although I’d probably add “or ‘fack’” so they know if they hear someone else saying it. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/4 "2006-10-21T15:40:15Z")
I’ve always said “facks”. It sounds weird when someone insists on spelling out the abbreviation (“eff ay ques”). I love the phonetic similarity to “facts”, and I don’t doubt that it was intentional. IMHO of course. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/5 "2006-10-21T15:45:21Z")
I am odd enough to say “eff ay queue”. I also say “queue and ay” instead of “quanda” [Q&A]. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/6 "2006-10-21T15:47:35Z")
People actually say “quanda”? Yeesh. Eff Ay Queue for me too. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/7 "2006-10-21T15:50:43Z")
I’m with facks but I have never heard “quanda”. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/8 "2006-10-21T15:51:11Z")
I’ve only ever heard and said “eff ay queue.” I’ve never heard it pronounced “fack.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/9 "2006-10-21T16:04:23Z")
[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore] I’ve only ever heard and said “eff ay queue.” I’ve never heard it pronounced “fack.” [/QUOTE] Ditto. Well, almost. I have heard a few people say “fack”, but they are the decided minority, IME. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/10 "2006-10-21T16:13:14Z")
I’m thinking _fack_ is common, if only because I’ve seen plenty of plays on the word. “Just the FAQs, ma’am”, for example. And it’s really the only way I’ve ever pronounced it in my head. (I don’t have an awful lot of opportunity to pronounce it out loud) ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/11 "2006-10-21T16:16:36Z")
Never heard anything but _fack_. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/12 "2006-10-21T16:39:15Z")
[QUOTE=hawthorne] Never heard anything but _fack_. [/QUOTE] Ditto- and I have never heard “quanda”. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/13 "2006-10-21T16:49:23Z")
Ditto that ditto. Fack and que and ay. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/14 "2006-10-21T17:20:43Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Ditto that ditto. Fack and que and ay. [/QUOTE] Ditto cubed. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/15 "2006-10-21T17:30:26Z")
never heard “fack” I can’t think of many situations where I would say “FAQ” out loud, but if I did, t would be “frequently asked questions” … not “fack” I might say “eff ay queue” if I were being silly (like with my sisters when we say things like “wuz up?” “enn emm. you?” “enn emm.” “what ev.” or when we say “eff eff!” instead of “fast forward”) and I would only say “facks” if I were being REALLY silly… and I’d clarify what I meant. “check the eff ay queues. y’know… the facks.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/16 "2006-10-21T17:40:09Z")
I say ‘fack’. But then, I say a lot of things. Anyway… Eastern U.S.: Fack, 3; F-A-Q, 3 Western U.S.: Fack, 3; F-A-Q, 0 Australia: Fack, 4; F-A-Q, 1 UK/Europe: Fack, 0; F-A-Q, 1 Unknown: Fack, 1, F-A-Q, 0 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/17 "2006-10-21T17:42:19Z")
If yuo said "ef ay que to my studentsw, they wouldn’t know what you meant. Count another fak for the West. Never, ever heard “quanda.” ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/18 "2006-10-21T18:08:58Z")
I say fack but have heard eff ay queue (and when I heard it I thought, WTF?). ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/19 "2006-10-21T18:20:21Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever had the need to speak of them, but in my mind’s ear, I always hear “eff-ay-queues,” so that is what I would say. When I see something like “Just the FAQs” I think of it as a visual pun, not an auditory one, so that has never factored into the pronunciation in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339/20 "2006-10-21T18:45:14Z")
I’ve never heard anyone pronounce it “eff ay queue,” only “fack.” Never heard of “quanda,” either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-the-f-a-q-s-maam-pronunciation/377339.md?page=2)