# The word "u" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415 "2005-09-13T12:41:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/1 "2005-09-13T12:41:19Z")
u you ewe hew yew Hugh hue Can you add to this list of different meanings for this common vocalization? Any other vocalizations that can generate a list as long as the above? ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/2 "2005-09-13T12:44:52Z")
Don’t you pronounce the “h” in hew, Hugh, and hue?? I only see three homonyms for “u” in your list (you, ewe, and yew). ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/3 "2005-09-13T12:46:38Z")
**The word "u"** “U” is not a word. Sue me. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/4 "2005-09-13T12:49:24Z")
Kinda sorta there’s: the Chinese name “Yoo” (Robert van Gulik used the confusion between “Yoo” and “you” as a plot point in one of his “Judge Dee” mysteries) Russian letter “yu” The expression “Eww!” I have to admit, thoughts of all these run through my head whevnever I hear the song “I’ll stand by You” I’ll Stand by You I’ll _Staa-aand_ by Hugh I’ll stand by Yew Throughout your darkest Hour I’ll stand by “U” I’ll stand by Ewe… etc. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/5 "2005-09-13T13:44:14Z")
[All these.](http://www.rhymezone.com/r/rhyme.cgi?Word=you&typeofrhyme=perfect&org1=syl&org2=l) ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/6 "2005-09-13T13:44:23Z")
> [@](#): > > **Ethilrist** > The word “u” > “U” is not a word. > > Sue me. Depends on the language. In Afrikaans, “u” is a word meaning, (ahem) you. It is used when addressing someone you don’t know or when dealing with someone in a professional environment. So, where can I deliver the summons? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/7 "2005-09-14T12:27:59Z")
> [@Mellivora capensis](#): > > Depends on the language. In Afrikaans, “u” is a word meaning, (ahem) you. It is used when addressing someone you don’t know or when dealing with someone in a professional environment. And pronounced “oo”, except at the back and top of the mouth in a way that no non-South African will ever be able to get right… 😃 Grim ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/8 "2005-09-14T13:11:28Z")
**grimpixie** , you read my mind. On the way home last night I was trying to come up with its phonetics, and eventually decided there was no way in hell I would be able to explain it here so that someone would be able to pronounce it. Now, if Koos Kombuis was an SDMB member, then maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/9 "2005-09-14T13:42:04Z")
> [@Mellivora capensis](#): > > Depends on the language. In Afrikaans, “u” is a word meaning, (ahem) you. It is used when addressing someone you don’t know or when dealing with someone in a professional environment. > > So, where can I deliver the summons? > > 😛 Bootes… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/10 "2005-09-14T19:30:18Z")
> [@Mellivora capensis](#): > > Depends on the language. In Afrikaans, “u” is a word meaning, (ahem) you. If I remember my Dutch pronunciation correctly though, it’s not pronounced the same. It’s more like the vowel heard in the French word _lune_. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-u/321415/11 "2005-09-14T19:33:27Z")
“U” can be a colloquial or humorous substition for “you”. I’ve just remembered that The Scaffold, the comic/musical group of Michael McCartney’s brother (yes, Sir Paul’s bro), had a hit in the early 1960s called “Thank U Very Much”. True, it’s not STandard English, but I think it qualifies as a word for the purpose of this thread.