# P is for Psycho

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [January 27, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851 "2012-01-27T11:53:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851/21 "2012-01-27T19:44:55Z")

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> [@AlsoNamedBort](#):
>
> I used to work at a call center where we had two servers, P and T. About once a week, the servers would crash, and everyone would have to switch to one server. This meant someone yelling out, “switch to P as in Paul!” or “T as in Tom!” So of course, being the troublemaker I am, I had to start yelling out “P as in Pterodactyl!”

You are my hero for the day. 😃

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**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851/22 "2012-01-28T15:22:27Z")

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> [@jjimm](#):
>
> H is for humble and herb if you’re a Yank

Herb, yes. But I’ve never heard any Yank pronounce that first one “umble”. Maybe it’s an East coast thing…

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851/23 "2012-01-28T15:50:48Z")

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> [@buddha\_david](#):
>
> Some people actually say the “O” in opossum? Never once have I heard it pronounced that way!

Jack Prelutsky’s poem [Opossum](http://www.sugarbane.com/wildlifepoetry.htm) depends on this difference in pronunciation.

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**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851/24 "2012-01-28T17:29:42Z")

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> [@buddha\_david](#):
>
> C is for chevron

😕

Websters reports that it is pronounced \ˈshev-rən\ , are there places where they say “hevron” or “evron”?

Or I’m missing the point?

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**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851/25 "2012-01-28T21:10:41Z")

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> [@GIGObuster](#):
>
> 😕
> 
> Websters reports that it is pronounced \ˈshev-rən\ , are there places where they say “hevron” or “evron”?
> 
> Or I’m missing the point?

Missing the point but I do agree that it isn’t the best example as a true silent word like czar.

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**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/p-is-for-psycho/610851/26 "2012-01-29T02:57:37Z")

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x as in xylophone  
L as in yama (llama)

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