ZED OR ZEE

 


There was a festival of Zeds ( or was it Zees? ) at Arlington Park this afternoon.

There were three particular dogs in the park at one and the same time.  There was Zeus,  Zeke, and Zion.  Another way to get my zzzzs!

For the first time ever Zion joined in play - with Zeke. (I neglected to ask about Zeke's breed.  He is clearly pure bred, with long legs and very short hair),

He and Zion did that play when dogs pounce towards each other. then "crouch down" to put their heads on their paws.  

Zeke's mother and I agree that there are at least two dog barks.  There is a bark of aggression; and a bark of invitation to play.  It made my heart glad to see Mr. Z in play.

Back to     

I think that we all know that British (and British Commonwealth countries) pronounce the letter as ZED.

For  English speakers in the U.S.A. it is ZEE.

As one who was raised in the U.K.  I was clearly a Zed partisan. 

Thus when I moved here in 1976, Store signs (as below)  would confuse me.





I would think "For goodness sake why would a business be called an E-ZED Mart?"

After 45 years in the U.S.A. I am now a ZEE man. The sign now makes sense.   It is an Easy Mart.

Is one right and the other wrong?  Is one correct and the other incorrect?

Not at all!   There is historical precedent for both pronunciations of the last letter of the English language.

See this: It's from Canada so it must be trustworthy!!.


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