# "Vaca(y)" As Abbreviation For "Vacation?"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaca-y-as-abbreviation-for-vacation/306338>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 1, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaca-y-as-abbreviation-for-vacation/306338 "2005-06-01T06:46:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaca-y-as-abbreviation-for-vacation/306338/21 "2005-06-02T07:46:02Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> People in Australia talk of going “on holidays”. I don’t know anyone who says “on vacation”.

Darn there’s my theory up in smoke then ☹

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**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaca-y-as-abbreviation-for-vacation/306338/22 "2005-06-02T09:50:13Z")

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I’ve lived in northern CA all my life, and have never heard the term. I’m also glad I’ve never heard the term. 🙂

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaca-y-as-abbreviation-for-vacation/306338/23 "2005-06-02T10:32:04Z")

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> [@Little Nemo](#):
>
> New Yorker here. We use the term all the time. I’ve never seen it spelled out but I’ve always assumed it was spelled vaca, even though it’s pronounced vay-kay.

Kids in NH and ME have also been using it for years, and they too pronounce it vay-kay despite the spelling.

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaca-y-as-abbreviation-for-vacation/306338/24 "2005-06-02T13:33:34Z")

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> [@Cat Jones](#):
>
> THere’s a great tradition in the UK of taking ‘a sickie’ when you really just can’t be bothered to go to work, or the sun has suddenly come out, or it’s Friday, you know you make that early morning call to work before having anything to drink so you sound extra croaky ?

People here in the United States often talk about taking a “mental health day.”

I don’t believe this is the actual purpose of a personal (leave) day. At least, no one has told me so. I think it’s meant to cover unscheduled chores, like waiting in line all day at the department of motor vehicles after you’ve forgotten that your license plate is expiring or waiting for the plumber after your basement’s been flooded or having to take your kid home after school closes early for extreme weather.

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