All of the Canadian youtubers that I watch pronounce the letter z as "zi", as is done in the United States. However, I have read online that it is more common for Canadians to pronounce it as "zed", as is done in the United Kingdom. Is this a regional thing? How do you pronounce the letter z?

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[–] JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca 49 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Like many things, it depends. I'm curious about the context where you're actually hearing YouTubers say the letter.

It's usually "zed" and we're taught it as "zed" in school - at least when i was a kid.

If I'm spelling something it is Zed. I don't think I've ever said Zee in that context.

The alphabet ends with Zee when singing it, due to the rhyme with Vee (and probably Sesame Street).

In my head I will say Nissan Zee for a Z type car. Though if I was to speak the phrase "Nissan Z type" I would say Zed.

When it is used in online slang (GG EZ) it is "Zee" for "easy".

ZZ Top is Zee Zee Top. Zorro draws a Zed. Things are Zed-shaped, not Zee-shaped in general.

[–] psycotica0@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Another common one for me that I didn't even notice for a while was Gen-Z, which I will always say "jenzi". Zed sounds unacceptable there, even though I say zed in most other cases besides those you've outlined.

[–] JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca 9 points 23 hours ago

Yeah another one I thought of is XYZ

For me it's Zed-axis, but Ecks-Why-Zee coordinates.

[–] phanto@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 day ago (2 children)

It's Eee zed Pea zed!

[–] JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca 5 points 23 hours ago

Lemon squee zed

[–] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I have always said it as “easy peasy”

[–] iamthetot@piefed.ca 6 points 1 day ago

They were joking. No one says easy peazed.