# Why "shave ice" and not "shaved ice" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824 "2010-12-30T14:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [December 30, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/1 "2010-12-30T14:42:09Z")
Wikipedia is of no help. Google returns a question and answer that says it’s a direct translation from Hawai’ian, but no reference. Is this some pidgin thing where the past tense is not used? Apparently it originated in Japan, which easily explains why it’s popular in Hawai’i. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/2 "2010-12-30T15:22:19Z")
[moderating] Typo fixed in thread title. [/moderating] “Shave Ice” has always sounded wrong to me, but I have no idea why most vendors seem to use that term. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/3 "2010-12-30T15:24:39Z")
Hawaii used to belong to the British, who took the _d_ to make _iced water._ ---
**Author:** ![MentalGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MentalGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MentalGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/4 "2010-12-30T15:31:24Z")
When I have actually pondered this, I thought they were using the term “Hawaiian Shave” to describe the type of shave the ice gets. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/5 "2010-12-30T16:10:35Z")
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that the past tense ending was dropped, whether out of ignorance, laziness, or what have you. I’ve seen plenty of signs/ads touting “old fashion” businesses. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/6 "2010-12-30T16:26:09Z")
I assume for the same reason that people talk about “ice tea” and “daylight savings time” - laziness and habit. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/7 "2010-12-30T16:31:30Z")
I’m from Hawaii and it’s because of the way local’s talk. [Hawaiian Pidgin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Pidgin) has a bunch of clipped and abbreviated phrases and words. I hope dat wen answer yo’ question, cuz. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/8 "2010-12-30T16:55:54Z")
> **[Shaved Ice - Home Machines & Syrups | Hawaiian Shaved Ice](https://www.hawaiianshavedice.com/)** > > We have everything you need to make Hawaiian Shaved Ice at home including syrups, shaved ice machines, supplies, and accessories. Not everybody says shave ice. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/9 "2010-12-30T17:05:10Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Hawaii used to belong to the British, who took the _d_ to make _iced water._ Excuse me? Hawaii never belonged to the British. I used to live there, and while the godless Brits did discover it first, and there was some British influence, it never ever belonged to Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/10 "2010-12-30T17:22:53Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > [http://www.hawaiianshavedice.com/](http://www.hawaiianshavedice.com/) > > Not everybody says shave ice. From the website: Hawaiian Shaved [Ice.com](http://Ice.com) 321 Goldsboro Street **Newton Grove, NC 28366** Doesn’t look very Hawaiian to me - they probably do kalua pork with barbecue sauce down there. It does explain the superfluous “d” though. 😃 Seriously, re: the OP, my wife grew up in Hawaii, and after 16 years with her, hearing “shaved ice” sounds wrong to me now. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/11 "2010-12-30T17:23:52Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > [http://www.hawaiianshavedice.com/](http://www.hawaiianshavedice.com/) > > Not everybody says shave ice. Yeah, but that site is from North Carolina. Probably someone who went to [Matsumoto Shave Ice](http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com/) on vacation and decided to spread it to the haolies. 😃 The Matsumoto store is the most iconic and they use the spelling. Also, the[Waiola Shave Ice](http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=12802063666935564341&q=waiola+shave+ice+honolulu&hl=en&gl=us) is clearly superior IMHO. The Google place name says “Shaved Ice” but that’s user-generated, the actual store sign calls it “[Shave Ice](http://goo.gl/maps/X9MH)” Honestly, if anyone from Hawaii said _Shaved Ice_ I’d assume they’re translating for non-locals. EDIT: _Ninjaed!_ ---
**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:** [December 30, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/12 "2010-12-30T18:06:21Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I’m from Hawaii and it’s because of the way local’s talk. [Hawaiian Pidgin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Pidgin) has a bunch of clipped and abbreviated phrases and words. > > I hope dat wen answer yo’ question, cuz. No, bra, dat neva answer da question. 🙂 Seriously, there isn’t anything in there about clipped “ed” for adjectives. I’m sure it has something to do with pidgin, but are there other similar examples? Like: “can peaches” or “smoke meat”. Just wondering if there is a pattern, or if this is an isolated instance. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/13 "2010-12-30T18:46:44Z")
While we’re on the subject, what’s with the Hawai’ian colloquial pronunciation of “bro”? Sounds like they’re saying “bra.” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/14 "2010-12-30T19:05:12Z")
I wasn’t aware this was why do Hawaiians say use the term shave ice question. I thought there was confusion that everybody uses that term. We don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/15 "2010-12-30T19:17:03Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I assume for the same reason that people talk about “ice tea” and “daylight savings time” - laziness and habit. Cf. “skim milk”. It’s SKIMMED milk, damn it! ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/16 "2010-12-30T19:20:07Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > While we’re on the subject, what’s with the Hawai’ian colloquial pronunciation of “bro”? Sounds like they’re saying “bra.” It’s short for “braddah”, which is pidgin for “brother.” ---
**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:** [December 30, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/17 "2010-12-30T19:52:36Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > I wasn’t aware this was why do Hawaiians say use the term shave ice question. I thought there was confusion that everybody uses that term. We don’t. Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/18 "2010-12-30T20:11:56Z")
> [@Geek\_Mecha](#): > > It’s short for “braddah”, which is pidgin for “brother.” I think this is one where the Hawaiians have a clear advantage. When pronounced the first syllable of \*brother \*is way closer to \*bra \*than _bro_. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/19 "2010-12-30T20:14:22Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No, bra, dat neva answer da question. 🙂 > > Seriously, there isn’t anything in there about clipped “ed” for adjectives. I’m sure it has something to do with pidgin, but are there other similar examples? Like: “can peaches” or “smoke meat”. > > Just wondering if there is a pattern, or if this is an isolated instance. I don’t think it’s specifically for adjectives, I think it’s a general shortening and clipping of words. _Da kine_ is from\* The Kind\*, its just been shortened and massaged a bit. Li’dat. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824/20 "2010-12-30T21:06:28Z")
“Shave” ice is one of my pet peeves. Thank you for posting about it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-shave-ice-and-not-shaved-ice/565824.md?page=2)