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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to only realise now that a W (a double U) is actually a UU. Say 'W' out loud

150 replies

Snooks1971 · 15/02/2017 21:58

Shoot me now.
How the hell have I never noticed that a double u is W when said out aloud?

OP posts:
christmasmum · 15/02/2017 22:04

In France they pronounce it double-vay for a double 'vee' which I always thought makes more sense...

SwimmingPoolSaunaRoomForAPony · 15/02/2017 22:05

The French have it right, they say double-v (dou-blah-vay) which makes a lot more bloody sense because that's what the actual letter 'w' looks like!

SwimmingPoolSaunaRoomForAPony · 15/02/2017 22:05

christmas beat me to it Wink

redexpat · 15/02/2017 22:05

Same in danish - double v

KenDoddsDadsDog · 15/02/2017 22:06

Double V in Spanish too .

JoanofNark17 · 15/02/2017 22:06

An old style W would be much curvier, and look more like u's than v's.

Like this.

to only realise now that a W (a double U) is actually a UU. Say 'W' out loud
Squirmy65ghyg · 15/02/2017 22:20

?

I don't get it. Wuuh?

Squirmy65ghyg · 15/02/2017 22:21

Or not wuh but double u? I never realised either. Good spot!

Onehellofaride · 15/02/2017 22:22

squirmy say it as a capital not lower case 'double you'

Onehellofaride · 15/02/2017 22:22

Cross post Grin

BreatheDeep · 15/02/2017 22:25

YABU to only just realise this unless you are a 5 year old Grin

EggsEleven · 15/02/2017 22:26

My W looks like double U's when I handwrite W. it's only when typed that it looks like two V's.

elQuintoConyo · 15/02/2017 22:28

Doppia-vu in Italian iirc.

Oo-beh-dob-lay in Spanish (terrible phonetics, sorry). But they pronounce V as B, so you have to ask/point out B=Barcelona or B=Valencia. Nuts!

Lochan · 15/02/2017 22:29

In very old manuscripts it is written uu. The w is a later innovation.

SoupDragon · 15/02/2017 22:36

Seriously??! You never wondered why there are all those short little letter names and the "double U"?

It's really weird how some things just pass by without being noticed or questioned isn't it?

mogloveseggs · 15/02/2017 22:36

[Shock] I never realised!

LastGirlOnTheLeft · 15/02/2017 22:36

Am I the only one to have kept this secret had I been this silly? Come on OP!!!!

QuimReaper · 15/02/2017 22:37

Good Lord OP you colossal doily, how could that possibly have passed you by?

FurryLittleTwerp · 15/02/2017 22:39

My surname begins with W - I have had envelopes with Uu(restofname) Hmm

Dragonglass · 15/02/2017 22:40

I'm confused. What have you been calling it, if not 'double u'?

Original poster
Snooks1971 · 15/02/2017 22:41

Oh I love all these responses!
A double U! (I feel like stopping passerby in the street and asking...did you know?)
I did read something I think that there was no need for a 'w' in the English language (could be v wrong here) and therefore the letter W was invented. It's weirdly fascinating....

OP posts:
pimmsy · 15/02/2017 22:42

Speaking of french....

Quatre-vingt-dix-sept

Four-twenties-ten-seven

or

Ninety seven

SwearySwearyQuiteContrary · 15/02/2017 22:43

Does anyone know if the original pronunciation sounds different to how it's used today?

ShezowsSister · 15/02/2017 22:44

I remember having an intense conversation with my Mum as a child because I wanted to know how to spell w and wasn't satisfied with her answer!

diddl · 15/02/2017 22:46

What do you think that you have been saying all these years then??