# "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:** 3
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/41 "2013-08-21T14:27:22Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > If we can write donut and hiccup, we can write thru. Definitely. “Thru” has been used on hiway (notice what I did there?) signs for decades, along with ‘hiway.’ I don’t know of any accidents happening because people were confused. These alternate spellings are done purposely, not accidentally. Anyone who sees that and thinks they’re a sign of childishness or illiteracy are themselves being the petulant child here as they willfully embrace ignorance of intent to protect the integrity of spelling! (BTW, English spelling has all the integrity of a mob informant – protecting _that_ is such a good cause!) Sure, you can disagree with specific attempts at alternate spellings (also known as ‘abbreviations’ in some cases), but name-calling and pathetic attempts at social humiliation for “not getting it ‘right’” are the signs of grammar nazism. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/42 "2013-08-21T15:08:32Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > (additional Eureka moment: the only word that I can think of which ends in a U is “impromptu”. You. Menu. Tofu. Bayou. And then I [googled more](http://www.scrabblefinder.com/ends-with/u/). I like \*thru \*if only because Teddy Roosevelt was in favor of it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/43 "2013-08-21T15:28:59Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > My late grandmother was a school teacher. Yet, her (handwritten) letters to my mom contained words like “thru”, “thot”, and “tho”. I don’t know if she simply had some objection to “ough”, or if she was simply using shorthand for informal writing. There was a movement at that time to make some of those spelling standard. Sadly, due to the grammar-nazis, it failed.😛 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/44 "2013-08-21T15:30:14Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > What? :eek: And miss out on [the ending that has _ **ten** _ distinct pronunciations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ough_(orthography)#Full_list_of_pronunciations) ? :mad: Good one.🆒 ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/45 "2013-08-21T15:42:20Z")
I don’t have any problem with either usage in any setting. I do form strong opinions about those who form strong opinions based on one observation. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/46 "2013-08-21T16:18:51Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > 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. I have to agree. The “ough” combination really is a cumbersome mess, and the English language would be better off if we eliminated it. Remember, it was only in about the last century or so that spelling became standardized, so it’s not like we’d be overturning eons of linguistic history. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/47 "2013-08-21T16:38:15Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > What? :eek: And miss out on [the ending that has _ **ten** _ distinct pronunciations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ough_(orthography)#Full_list_of_pronunciations) ? :mad: That’s awesome. I was trying to pronounce “through” with the “ough” from “enough” - “th-ruff?” I should use ough as a nick and see people talk about it - “have you met ooh?” “No, but there’s this intelligent guy, arf” ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/48 "2013-08-21T21:01:22Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I’d only be comfortable with “thru” on roadsigns. Otherwise it looks like the writer is an idiot or a teenager, or both. I am neither one, thank you very much. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/49 "2013-08-21T21:16:25Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > Definitely. “Thru” has been used on hiway (notice what I did there?) signs for decades, along with ‘hiway.’ I don’t know of any accidents happening because people were confused. They also write PED XING\* and WALK DON’T but I wouldn’t hold these up as standards to follow. Heh. I typoed that as “OED XING” which seemed somehow appropriate. ---
**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 21, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/50 "2013-08-21T21:18:53Z")
Yeah, I’ve been leery of DMV signage ever since they put up that “SLOW CHILDREN AT PLAY” sign right in front of my house when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/51 "2013-08-21T22:32:45Z")
On a similar note, I can remember the first few times I saw handwritten signs in bars advertising specials on “draught beer”. _shakes fist in Germany’s general direction_ (I think that’s the right direction, anyway. Do we get to blame Germany for this crap?) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/52 "2013-08-21T22:41:27Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > On a similar note, I can remember the first few times I saw handwritten signs in bars advertising specials on “draught beer”. > > _shakes fist in Germany’s general direction_ > > (I think that’s the right direction, anyway. Do we get to blame Germany for this crap?) I have not been able to google-fu who to blame for this… but it feels vaguely Anglo-Saxon. So that may be reasonable. ---
**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 21, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/53 "2013-08-21T22:54:39Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I have to agree. The “ough” combination really is a cumbersome mess, and the English language would be better off if we eliminated it. Remember, it was only in about the last century or so that spelling became standardized, so it’s not like we’d be overturning eons of linguistic history. I don’t see how a serious scheme of spelling revision could now prevail against the sheer mass of written material generated in that century. Unless it was a huge and expensive effort, it would take another century to reach a practical level of ubiquity, by which time: a)All the people who wanted it to happen would be dead. b)It would probably be just as wrong as at present, because dialects will have continued to drift. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/54 "2013-08-22T09:28:04Z")
[cheating at scrabble](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IzDbNFDdP4) ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/55 "2013-08-23T09:41:45Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > On a similar note, I can remember the first few times I saw handwritten signs in bars advertising specials on “draught beer”. Why, in America, we spell it ‘draft’! I guess we Americans are all either children or illiterate for not spelling it right, I hear. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/56 "2013-08-23T16:09:29Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > Why, in America, we spell it ‘draft’! I guess we Americans are all either children or illiterate for not spelling it right, I hear. 😛 Two things about that spelling: “draught” is only one vowel off from “drought”, so having never _knowingly_ heard “draught” spoken aloud, I had no context to suggest that it was pronounced so differently from “drought”. I had seen the word “draught” in print numerous times, mostly in English literature, _and it was always used as a noun_: “The doctor gave him a draught of elixir…” “He quenched his thirst with a draught of water…”, etc. Meanwhile, aside from “the Draft” to describe involuntary military conscription, or somebody complaining that “there’s a draft in here — did somebody leave a window open?”, I’d usually seen “draft” used as an _adjective_: draft beer, draft horses, etc. And it just now occurred to me that, all those times we saw a character in “Peanuts” yelling “AAAAUUUUUGGGH!” in frustration, we should have been pronouncing it “FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF…!” like in one of those “rage comics” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/57 "2013-08-23T16:24:40Z")
I’m not a fan of _thru_, but you have to admit it’s better than using the word _threw_ to mean _through_. And yes, I have seen that done. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/58 "2013-08-23T16:26:38Z")
And while we’re at it, can we get some work done on publicising the fact that the past tense of _pay_ is not “payed”? I’m pretty sick of seeing that one, too. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/59 "2013-08-23T17:08:13Z")
I’ll get right on it. :: runs urgently out the door :: ---
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736/60 "2013-08-23T17:34:06Z")
Thank you all for the replies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thru-as-an-alternate-spelling-of-through/666736.md?page=2)