Anyone else hear "zor" during xand discussions?

[404-error]

I've been in electronics for years and never thought I'd question XOR until xand pronunciation Brazil came up in a meeting and someone from our dev team dropped "zor" like it was obvious. Is this a CS thing bleeding into EE, or am I just stuck in my ways?

 

[voltagepathmaker]

I've always gone with "X‑OR" too—it's kind of the go-to in EE circles, you know? But I've definitely heard some folks in CS toss around "zor" like it's no big deal, especially in those dev shops. That xand pronunciation braxil, is a fresh take for me. I can only imagine how entertaining that meeting must've been. Is it just one person on your team saying it that way, or is there a whole crew backing them up?

 

[Deleted member 157]

Yes, definitely ECKS-OR in electronic circuits since forever.

Cheers

Ian

 

[404-error]

Thanks to you both for confirming "X‑OR" is the EE standard. It's good to know I'm not just behind the times. It was just the 1 developer who said "zor" but what was notable is that none of the other software guys corrected him. It's interesting to see how language evolves differently between hardware and software disciplines.

 

[francsxz39]

I wonder if it's a regional thing, or maybe, as you suggested, a CS influence. Languages and tech often have these little quirks. I could totally see a dev team picking up on a shortcut pronunciation. Maybe next time ask them if they also "gif" their data? LOL

 

[barfle]

I wonder if it's a regional thing, or maybe, as you suggested, a CS influence. Languages and tech often have these little quirks. I could totally see a dev team picking up on a shortcut pronunciation. Maybe next time ask them if they also "gif" their data? LOL

And how many pronounce gif as “jiff?” How many thing “kluge” is spelled “kludge?”

 

[Boardcertified]

And how many pronounce gif as "jiff?" How many thing "kluge" is spelled "kludge?"

You do have a point on this, but the thing here is that it's something specific and only people in this niche use it, so it is a bit surprising to hear some missing the pronounciation.

 

[404-error]

The convo has taken an interesting turn. Your example about "gif" vs "jiff" is a long running debate in my own workplace. I've always used the "kluge" spelling myself, yet I frequently see "kludge" written in dev code comments.

@Boardcertified the element of surprise is what prompted my post. The pronunciation came from a group that uses the term daily in a professional context.

It highlights how separate technical cultures can evolve their own shorthand. The impulse in the software field to optimize for verbal efficiency is quite noticeable.

 

[barfle]

English is full of contradictions, and spelling rules are inconsistent. Some still use “stone” for weights, “furlongs” formdistance, and I’ve recently heard “fortnight” for time.

I suppose, if ome learns words like “xenon” and “xeriscape,” they might decide “xor” has a similar pronunciation.

 

[Mr CMRR]

English is full of contradictions, and spelling rules are inconsistent. Some still use "stone" for weights, "furlongs" formdistance, and I've recently heard "fortnight" for time.

I suppose, if ome learns words like "xenon" and "xeriscape," they might decide "xor" has a similar pronunciation.

Notwithstanding use of old English units of measure, most engineers are awful at grammar and spelling, let alone proper use of units (how often do you see improper use of capital "K" to mean kilo?). If XOR was a word (it isn't), it would be pronounced "zor" even though the jargon acronym is spelled XOR, short for exclusive OR logic. My 2-cents worth ...

 

[Deleted member 157]

English is very much a language of the people. After the Normans invaded in 1066 the gentry spoke French, all legal documents were in Latin and only the common fold spoke English. As a result it was much simplified and influenced by the everyday life of ordinary folk. Hence its simultaneous richness and irregularity.

Cheers

Ian

 

[404-error]

It's been interesting to watch this discussion grow from talking about one acronym to exploring language in technical fields more generally. We touched on everything from how to say 'zor' to the history of English. It seems we agree that this is just two professional groups developing their own shorthand. Even in technical areas, language keeps changing. I've enjoyed this conversation and appreciate everyone's input!