# "Thru" as an alternate spelling of through. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736 "2013-08-20T18:48:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/1 "2013-08-20T18:48:38Z")
My university’s department of public safety sent a notice warning about an apparent recent crime spree by a group of teenagers, and in it they state “[a]lways be aware of your surroundings, travel in groups and avoid traveling thru parks after dark”. This was not a short, quick warning, but rather a full document. I had only noticed the spelling ‘thru’ used where space conservation and brevity are important, such as on signs. Has this spelling variation become more common recently? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/2 "2013-08-20T18:52:20Z")
No reputable author would use that spelling of through… ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/3 "2013-08-20T18:59:39Z")
> [@Animastryfe](#): > > My university’s department of public safety sent a notice warning about an apparent recent crime spree by a group of teenagers, and in it they state “[a]lways be aware of your surroundings, travel in groups and avoid traveling thru parks after dark”. This was not a short, quick warning, but rather a full document. I had only noticed the spelling ‘thru’ used where space conservation and brevity are important, such as on signs. Has this spelling variation become more common recently? I don’t see any spike in usage up to 2008: [Google Ngram Viewer: through,thru](http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=through%2Cthru&year_start=1900&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3) I also, personally, do not see any increased usage of the word. “Thru” is jarring enough that I’d notice it when reading, and I haven’t been noticing it much. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/4 "2013-08-20T19:02:42Z")
I’m not aware of it being accepted in that type of formal usage. I don’t mind the word, but it looks jarring outside of a sign or perhaps the phrase “drive-thru.” ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/5 "2013-08-20T19:42:43Z")
> [@Animastryfe](#): > > My university’s department of public safety sent a notice warning… I wouldn’t put much stock in this being an “official document.” I’m guessing if your university’s communications department saw it, they wouldn’t be pleased. This is likely one person’s failure. I doubt if the university style guide would call for the use of “THRU” anywhere but on a sign where limited space is a concern. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/6 "2013-08-20T19:44:03Z")
I thought it had a nearly-formal usage in phrases like “May thru August”. In British English, there used to be _thro’_ (which was still pronounced through), but it’s not in very common usage now. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/7 "2013-08-20T19:48:44Z")
I do it all the time! > [@dolphinboy](#): > > No reputable author would use that spelling of through… You are correct! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/8 "2013-08-20T20:05:01Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > I wouldn’t put much stock in this being an “official document.” It’s only really an official document if somewhere it contains a paradox page (a page that is blank except for the sentence “This page intentionally left blank”). As to the OP, the only comment I have on _thru_ is that whenever I watch the _Star Trek_ episode where Scott is giving Kirk and Spock directions to Gary Seven’s office and keeps saying things like “Proceed five metres, two four seven degrees true,” his dialect always makes me think he’s saying “thru.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/9 "2013-08-20T20:07:13Z")
Although it’s been dated back to 1839, “thru” has always been considered, at best, an informal alternative. (Remember that in English grammar circles, “informal” is one step above “illiterate.”) The _Chicago Tribune_ for years tried to push it as one of their [simplified spellings](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01-29/site/ct-per-flash-simplespelling-0229-20120129_1_spelling-texting-tribune), but even they eventually gave up. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/10 "2013-08-20T20:24:47Z")
So it sounds like we’re not at the point where thru = through lite ---
**Author:** ![SirGalahad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@SirGalahad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirGalahad)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/11 "2013-08-20T20:27:32Z")
I luv that spelling. 60s Hippy here. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/12 "2013-08-20T20:30:49Z")
Acceptable in a COBOL program. Lazy in English. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/13 "2013-08-20T20:32:03Z")
I’m not usually a fan of this sort of bastardization of a word, but I support this one. The ‘ough’ ending is such a pain to parse and this adds clairty. I find myself using it more and more, but for some reason I usually limit it to ‘directions’ (i.e. go thru the forest) rather than other uses (i.e. "I’m through with licorice!). I have no rational reason for this. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/14 "2013-08-20T20:36:59Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > The ‘ough’ ending is such a pain to parse You must really hate [this painting](http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-ploughing-up-turnips-near-slough-windsor-n00486). ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/15 "2013-08-20T20:40:47Z")
Thru is always wrong except in drive-thru Write some angry letters and get it fixed ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/16 "2013-08-20T21:41:17Z")
“Thru” is better in so many ways that it’s just superior. And it is now mostly listed simply as a 'varient" which makes it mostly legit. Why the fight to stop AmEng from progressing and improving? Why must English stagnate? ---
**Author:** ![ryanl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b487fb/32.png) [@ryanl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryanl)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/17 "2013-08-20T22:08:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “Thru” is better in so many ways that it’s just superior. And it is now mostly listed simply as a 'varient" which makes it mostly legit. > > Why the fight to stop AmEng from progressing and improving? Why must English stagnate? I agri. Wy do we haf to constrain English to stagnation wen der are so many ways to improve the language with superior spellings? In all seriousness, spelling is a marker of literacy. When I see a writer using a non-orthodox spelling in non-informal writing, I (fair or not) assume certain things about their level of education/socioeconomic background. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/18 "2013-08-20T22:43:26Z")
> [@ryanl](#): > > I agri. Wy do we haf to constrain English to stagnation wen der are so many ways to improve the language with superior spellings? > > In all seriousness, spelling is a marker of literacy. When I see a writer using a non-orthodox spelling in non-informal writing, I (fair or not) assume certain things about their level of education/socioeconomic background. Spelling bees are for idiot savants. 😛 agri = no, “agree” ends in a EE sound Wy=sure haf= sure wen= OK der = I say "f’ not “d”, do you pronounce “there” = “der”? And sure you do, but altho we can’t all spell any word any which way, it would be useful to allow English to evolve and change some of the worst spellings to better ones. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/19 "2013-08-20T22:47:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “Thru” is better in so many ways that it’s just superior. And it is now mostly listed simply as a 'varient" which makes it mostly legit. > > Why the fight to stop AmEng from progressing and improving? Why must English stagnate? Is “varient” just a variant of “variant”? 😛 ---
**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:** [August 20, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/20 "2013-08-20T23:17:44Z")
If we can write donut and hiccup, we can write thru. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736.md?page=2)