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

[Snooks1971]

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

I just said wua

Did you not notice when you were learning the alphabet?

Honestly - I just never noticed. The letter W in my mind, in my language, in my writing was a stand alone letter and not connected to a U.
Saying it out loud now is so obvious!
Wondering now why it's a double U and not a double V (next letter in the alphabet?)

I bet you thought you were saying double YOU all these years didn't you OP?

Wondering now why it's a double U and not a double V (next letter in the alphabet?)

See the picture above.

Whaaaaaaatttttt? My mind is blown....

Come to think of it - numbers are spelt 1 = one - but letters aren't!! Like double u - E isn't Eee V isn't Vee - doesn't seem fair

LOL

Amazed that any adult hadn't noticed this previously! Guess we all have our blind-spots though.

Sorry Joan didn't acknowledge - is the root of W as a letter because it was curly then, soft like a U?

What I want to know is why whoever invented the www designated that letter as the beginning of web addresses.

It's the most awkward thing to say ever - doubleyoudoubleyoudoubleyoudot.

In German they just say veeveevee. And they omit the dots.

Because it's the World Wide Web? Makes sense

So what happened in your brain when you sang ...OPQRST WXY and Z?
Ohh Pea Queue Are Ess Tea Doublu Ex Why and Zed?

I so enjoy the Spanish version. Ooble doble!

I didn't realise this (double U) until I learnt the French alphabet in my mid 20s ...it was the double v that made me click.
Also Y - it was the French 'i grec' that made me make the connection with the name 'w -I' - although obviously I knew that 'Y sometimes pretended to be an I' - if that makes any kind of sense....

What blew my mind recently was finding out that W is largely redundant in French. I'd never noticed how few French words include a W. in fact I can only think of words they've adopted from other languages such as 'le week end'.
Every day is a school day...

If you look at sixteenth century handwriting (and possibly other centuries but that is what I am used to!), 'u' and 'v' are basically interchangable (as are 'i' and 'j'). This might explain why some countries have ended up saying 'w' as 'double v' and some as 'double u'.

Oh well it's never held me back - passed my Eng Lit & Eng Lang 'O' Levels a year early, both Grade A (yes I'm that old) and 'A' Level too.
It is interesting how something so bloody obvious passed me by! Every day's a school day!

I've got a languages degree and this has literally never occurred to me!!! Not in English or French or any language. I'm gonna ask my friends tomorrow - if they all know i'll be mortified...

People still write alower case w like 2 u s , don't they?

X post re school day Acorn

I do. Fat bottomed w here

if they all know i'll be mortified

don't! you can't question EVERYTHING you have learn since you were born. It seems obvious when you know, but it's easier to click when you learn other languages, or when you think about it. Some posters on here discovered that 1st meant firST, 2nd ..secoND etc. I am sure there are hundred of examples.

I am 48 years old today, my name actually starts with W.. and I never realised this.

I'm not that thick normally either.

Well in German they say veeveevee as that's the same as saying www

I don't think I understand what it is that people didn't get? What is there to get?