2007-07-12 07:17:40 · 11 answers · asked by amalehuman 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
I didn't know, it perplexed me. I asked Ox--
"English uses the Latin alphabet of the Romans. However, this had no letter suitable for representing the phoneme /w/ which was used in Old English, though phonetically the sound represented by /v/ was quite close. In the 7th century scribes wrote uu for /w/; later they used the runic symbols known as wynn. European scribes had continued to write uu, and this usage returned to England with the Norman Conquest in 1066. Early printers sometimes used vv for lack of a w in their type. The name double-u recalls the former identity of u and v, which is also evident in a number of cognate words (flour/flower, guard/ward, suede/Swede, etc.)."
2007-07-12 08:09:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok - gotta go down this 'road'. Maybe there's a lot to say for some of the other answers, BUT I believe there is only one possibility that gave rise to "w" being referred to as 'double-u'.
In Latin, 'v' is actually 'u'.
If you(pardon the pun) were to look at any number of old gov't buildings with large inscriptions at the top of the outward facing, you will find the original 'v'(capitalized) in place of the modern 'u'.
Whether I'm right or not is 'Elementary, my dear Watson', the letter 'v' is used in this manner !!
Now, I understand that the useage of two 'v's together with the two letters 'crossing' each other to form a 'w' of sorts is indicated in Wikky as are many other descriptions and accounts of possible origins of 'w'.
I'm simply stating that the Latin 'v' started it all and it's used a lot on the buildings I've referred to, even inscriptions on such buildings that form the Vatican in Rome !!
2007-07-12 10:17:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lol. Because whoever decided to decide what letters sound like is an idiot. Why isn't "m" called "double n" or something?
2007-07-12 07:22:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This letter always reminds me of George, you know....
In the Netherlands we have no "double U", we just call W
"weeeeeee". (Pronounced as way) It has the same sound as V ( veeeee - vay) and has nothing to do with U. So, must be some american mistake.
2007-07-12 07:30:30 · answer #4 · answered by Hanya 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I grew-up in the '70's. That has a nice ring to it. But for kids that grow-up in the '00's or the '10's. . . no nice ring there. What did they call it at the last turn of the century? Surely someone wrote it down somewhere.
2016-05-20 22:30:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Spanish, "w" is pronounced "double v", I guess us English people are just stupid...
2007-07-12 07:22:40 · answer #6 · answered by nosoop4u246 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
some people say it as double v....
2007-07-12 07:25:58 · answer #7 · answered by Mrsashko 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
in spanish its called double v (duh-blea-veh)
2007-07-12 07:25:16 · answer #8 · answered by rogersk06 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You think way too hard. Ask the Romans
2007-07-12 07:21:34 · answer #9 · answered by Brad 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
same reason george bush says "dub-ya"
2007-07-12 07:38:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋