It has come to my attention that in Britain the letter Z is pronounced "zed" (or maybe it was "zet"), whereas in America it's pronounced "zee." This raises the question of the alphabet song.

Ay, bee, cee, dee, ee, eff, gee / aitch, i, jay, kay, ell em en oh pee / que, arr, ess, tee, yue, vee / double-yue, ex, why and . . . zed.

That doesn't rhyme! It doesn't work! How do British people sing the ABC's if V and Z don't rhyme? Do they pronounce V "ved" to compensate? Do they - I'm hoping for the sake of all humanity that this is not the answer - not have the alphabet song? This is mauling my mind, beating my brain, goring my gray matter. If any of you British-ites out there have any insights they would be greatly appreciated.

-eric "And what about New Zealand and Australia? And South Africa? And Jamaica? How do they pronounce 'Z?'" sleator
Tue 12 Dec A.D. 2000