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    Pronunciations of SQL Derived Database Names and Terms

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved IT Discussion
    sqlsequelms sql serverpostgresqlmysqlpronunciationdatabasedatabases
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    • scottalanmillerS
      scottalanmiller @RojoLoco
      last edited by

      @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

      @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

      Quick Note on Pronunciation:

      SQL is a language developed by IBM and is pronounced like the English word "sequel." It is, in fact, an abbreviation of that word. It's original name was actually SEQUEL but due to copyright issues, it was changed to SQL.

      MS SQL Server is pronounced MS "sequel" Server. Never spell it out.

      MySQL is proncounced "My S-Q-L", never "My Sequel." This is a commercial product with an official pronunciation.

      PostgreSQL is pronounced "Post - Gres - Q - L". It's a weird name, what can we say.

      This strikes me as some total hipster BS.... "well, we're soooo Enterprise that we know the correct pronunciation....

      Except that's how intentionally mispronouncing common terms and names just because the SMB likes to be "wrong to be cool" sounds. It's not hipster to be correct. It's hardly "so enterprise" to know the names of some of the industries biggest products. If anyone is being hipster, it's the new SMB people who made up a new name that they use and try to act cool by intentionally not using the actual names.

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      • scottalanmillerS
        scottalanmiller @Dashrender
        last edited by

        @Dashrender said in What is a Database Management System:

        @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

        It's only crappy if you try to pronounce it incorrectly 🙂

        LOL - it's crappy anyway you try to pronounce it.
        Post Gres Q L - yeah that just rolls off the tongue.

        It's because it is a joke on the name Ingress which it replaced. It was the "Post Ingress" server.

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        • alex.olynykA
          alex.olynyk
          last edited by

          is it marry a db or mariadb?

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • momurdaM
            momurda
            last edited by

            "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
            By any other name would smell as sweet."

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            • scottalanmillerS
              scottalanmiller @RojoLoco
              last edited by gjacobse

              @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

              PostgreSQL = "post grease-quell"? I got really fing sick of this type of elitism that tried to change the long accepted pronunciations of audio acronyms. Forgive me if my give-a-f isn't activating...

              Exactly my feeling. It's extremely elitist to feel that after years or decades of a name being official, commonly known and standard to suddenly introduce new pronunciations and hold to them just for the sake of being "better" than the people who have known the name for a long time. The pronunciations above have been accepted... always. Nothing is being changed. All of the pronunciations were provided by the vendors who created the names when they were created. Any deviation from that is the elitist hipster "doing my own thing just to be better than thou" thing.

              You can never call someone elitist for being accurate or just using the name that existed since day one. But saying that that is elitist would be elitist. Accuracy is never elitism. But intentional inaccuracy could be.

              And saying that things like My-sequal are standard is pushing it, hard. I'd be shocked to find out that even half of people who use the product say it that way. Maybe they do, but certainly in circles I know, it's unheard of to mispronounce it in that way.

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              • NerdyDadN
                NerdyDad @scottalanmiller
                last edited by

                @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                @Dashrender said in What is a Database Management System:

                @JaredBusch said in What is a Database Management System:

                @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                MySQL is proncounced "My S-Q-L", never "My Sequel." This is a commercial product with an official pronunciation.

                Official or not, it has been MySequel to most for a long ass time.

                I was thinking the same thing. Is it Data or Data? 😛

                It's not, because it is a proper name.

                Or as they say in Star Trek, "One is its name, one is not."

                Data is plural
                Datum is singular

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                • scottalanmillerS
                  scottalanmiller
                  last edited by

                  This is literally the first time I've ever heard someone suggest that the mispronunciations of any of these words was the "more common". That mispronunciations happen often is without question the case. But I'm totally shocked by the feeling that the new made up pronunciations are the more common today - I had no idea that some people felt this way. The use of those has been so uncommon over the decades that I had no idea that any area had adopted them enough to not be the occasional "oh they don't use it and didn't know" pronunciation. But if you think the original ones went away, they never did and lots of people would be shocked to find out that people think that the original names are now weird and unused.

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                  • scottalanmillerS
                    scottalanmiller
                    last edited by

                    It's not like the most casual investigation of these products doesn't turn up the pronunciations. The moment anyone says "how do you pronounce that" anyone who doesn't know would be able to find it in seconds.

                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySQL

                    0_1487796441205_Screenshot from 2017-02-22 21-47-10.png

                    This is a product that has been around for 22 years. It was only a few years ago (less than ten) that I heard My-sequel for the first time. And I'm not sure if I've ever heard it outside of the SW community.

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                    • RojoLocoR
                      RojoLoco
                      last edited by RojoLoco

                      http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/7231/how-is-sql-pronounced

                      It goes back and forth, but this says it all:

                      "According to the Computer Contradictionary (Stan Kelly-Bootle, MIT Press, 1995), "those pronouncing SQL as \ess-kew-ell\ rather than \sequel\ are instantly revealed as charlatans incapable of confuting the six and seventy jarring normal forms. Those who have really suffered are allowed to say \squeal\ "."

                      Bottom line is they are both correct, ess kew ell for unix mafks, sequel for those with a Windows background. Both those groups of people exist, btw.

                      alex.olynykA scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • alex.olynykA
                        alex.olynyk @RojoLoco
                        last edited by alex.olynyk

                        @RojoLoco Now it all makes sense...Thats why I say Sequel!

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                        • scottalanmillerS
                          scottalanmiller @RojoLoco
                          last edited by

                          @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                          http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/7231/how-is-sql-pronounced

                          It goes back and forth, but this says it all:

                          "According to the Computer Contradictionary (Stan Kelly-Bootle, MIT Press, 1995), "those pronouncing SQL as \ess-kew-ell\ rather than \sequel\ are instantly revealed as charlatans incapable of confuting the six and seventy jarring normal forms. Those who have really suffered are allowed to say \squeal\ "."

                          Sequel is the IBM name. ISO uses S-Q-L. You can make a point for either of those. Sequel is the "original and classic name". S-Q-L is the hipster "rebranding" and only refers to the ISO versions. Using either with SQL is acceptable. You have to decide if you are going for the original, official name or the later revisionist name. Since SQL is literally a shortening of the word SEQUEL it really gives things away. But that's quite unrelated to the MySQL or PostgreSQL names which are proper names today, not names of standards.

                          However, if you use S-Q-L instead of sequel with the language you can become inaccurate if you try to talk about it historically since the name S-Q-L only exists in any formality in the post-ISO world. And French revisionist renaming is a bit.... hipster in the truest form. It's like how RAID was later "revised" to standard for something different and... not sensible.

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                          • scottalanmillerS
                            scottalanmiller
                            last edited by

                            SQL is no longer a product. So it doesn't have the same formality as a product name. There is no vendor making SQL any longer. That makes for a weird situation where the original vendor says one thing that it's name was and the standards body has a new name that they like to use.

                            If you use the full name of ISO SQL, you should always pronounce the S-Q-L, for sure.

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                            • alex.olynykA
                              alex.olynyk
                              last edited by

                              Thank goodness for this thread...I needed a good laugh today. Its so...detoxifying!

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • scottalanmillerS
                                scottalanmiller @RojoLoco
                                last edited by scottalanmiller

                                @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                                To me, any acronym's pronunciation is about saving time with fewer syllables or by using a pronunciation that is an actual English word. Even though the longer ess kew ell is considered to be historically original, it has more syllables than sequel, thereby making it utterly inefficient at expressing the same acronym for people whose time is valuable. Fewer syllables = I'm not spending any extra time saying what I need to say. Regardless of what anyone thinks is "standard" or "accepted", the pronunciation with fewer syllables should always win. Unless you just like hearing yourself talk.

                                I think that's sensible and I think in all three cases that holds up.

                                SQL is "sequel" which is the shorter to pronounce.

                                MySQL is "Myes Q L" which is easier and faster to say than "My se-quel". Syllabically it might seem shorter, but actually saying it your tongue can say it more easily - less "stops" in your mouth.

                                RojoLocoR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • JaredBuschJ
                                  JaredBusch @scottalanmiller
                                  last edited by

                                  @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                                  @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                                  @JaredBusch said in What is a Database Management System:

                                  @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                                  MySQL is proncounced "My S-Q-L", never "My Sequel." This is a commercial product with an official pronunciation.

                                  Official or not, it has been MySequel to most for a long ass time.

                                  It's always been pronounced "sequel". I've literall;y never heard it any other way, and I would laugh if I did. To hell with "official".

                                  "Always" is pushing it. For many years you would never hear that. It's a relatively recent things that more and more casual users of it have started to make their own pronunciations. If you say "MySequel" you definitely flag yourself as not being familiar with the product. People would recognize you as not being very familiar with it very quickly. Definitely something that in a job interview would raise some eyebrows. In SMB circles where DBAs and UNIX Admins are rare, you can totally get away with it. With people who really manage MySQL instances, it would come across very differently.

                                  um, WTF with the over broad generalizing yet again?

                                  Every where I have ever been, it has been pronounced my sequel. And , unlike you I actually talk to many, many, people and hear what they say.

                                  scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • scottalanmillerS
                                    scottalanmiller @RojoLoco
                                    last edited by

                                    @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                                    Even though the longer ess kew ell is considered to be historically original, it has more syllables than sequel

                                    Backwards on SQL. SQL was always "sequel". It's only recently that ISO SQL changed how it is pronounced for their own uses. The language family from IBM long ago is "sequel".

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                                    • scottalanmillerS
                                      scottalanmiller @JaredBusch
                                      last edited by

                                      @JaredBusch said in What is a Database Management System:

                                      @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                                      @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                                      @JaredBusch said in What is a Database Management System:

                                      @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                                      MySQL is proncounced "My S-Q-L", never "My Sequel." This is a commercial product with an official pronunciation.

                                      Official or not, it has been MySequel to most for a long ass time.

                                      It's always been pronounced "sequel". I've literall;y never heard it any other way, and I would laugh if I did. To hell with "official".

                                      "Always" is pushing it. For many years you would never hear that. It's a relatively recent things that more and more casual users of it have started to make their own pronunciations. If you say "MySequel" you definitely flag yourself as not being familiar with the product. People would recognize you as not being very familiar with it very quickly. Definitely something that in a job interview would raise some eyebrows. In SMB circles where DBAs and UNIX Admins are rare, you can totally get away with it. With people who really manage MySQL instances, it would come across very differently.

                                      um, WTF with the over broad generalizing yet again?

                                      Every where I have ever been, it has been pronounced my sequel. And , unlike you I actually talk to many, many, people and hear what they say.

                                      Ditto 😉

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                                      • RojoLocoR
                                        RojoLoco @scottalanmiller
                                        last edited by

                                        @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                                        @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                                        To me, any acronym's pronunciation is about saving time with fewer syllables or by using a pronunciation that is an actual English word. Even though the longer ess kew ell is considered to be historically original, it has more syllables than sequel, thereby making it utterly inefficient at expressing the same acronym for people whose time is valuable. Fewer syllables = I'm not spending any extra time saying what I need to say. Regardless of what anyone thinks is "standard" or "accepted", the pronunciation with fewer syllables should always win. Unless you just like hearing yourself talk.

                                        I think that's sensible and I think in all three cases that holds up.

                                        SQL is "sequel" which is the shorter to pronounce.

                                        MySQL is "Myes Q L" which is easier and faster to say than "My se-quel". Syllabically it might seem shorter, but actually saying it your tongue can say it more easily - less "stops" in your mouth.

                                        PostgreSQL is smooth with the "postgres Q L", I mean nothing makes that word great. But it is smoother than trying to say Postgre... S Q L or another alternative.

                                        Shorter = always better when it comes to audio acronyms. I have always applied that logic to computer stuff... standard, accepted ways be damned. I'm a loner, Dottie.... a rebel.

                                        scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • scottalanmillerS
                                          scottalanmiller @RojoLoco
                                          last edited by

                                          @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                                          @scottalanmiller said in What is a Database Management System:

                                          @RojoLoco said in What is a Database Management System:

                                          To me, any acronym's pronunciation is about saving time with fewer syllables or by using a pronunciation that is an actual English word. Even though the longer ess kew ell is considered to be historically original, it has more syllables than sequel, thereby making it utterly inefficient at expressing the same acronym for people whose time is valuable. Fewer syllables = I'm not spending any extra time saying what I need to say. Regardless of what anyone thinks is "standard" or "accepted", the pronunciation with fewer syllables should always win. Unless you just like hearing yourself talk.

                                          I think that's sensible and I think in all three cases that holds up.

                                          SQL is "sequel" which is the shorter to pronounce.

                                          MySQL is "Myes Q L" which is easier and faster to say than "My se-quel". Syllabically it might seem shorter, but actually saying it your tongue can say it more easily - less "stops" in your mouth.

                                          PostgreSQL is smooth with the "postgres Q L", I mean nothing makes that word great. But it is smoother than trying to say Postgre... S Q L or another alternative.

                                          Shorter = always better when it comes to audio acronyms. I have always applied that logic to computer stuff... standard, accepted ways be damned. I'm a loner, Dottie.... a rebel.

                                          That was my point. Both the shorter AND the official always seem to line up.

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                                          • scottalanmillerS
                                            scottalanmiller @JaredBusch
                                            last edited by

                                            @JaredBusch said in What is a Database Management System:

                                            Every where I have ever been, it has been pronounced my sequel. And , unlike you I actually talk to many, many, people and hear what they say.

                                            Where do you find all of these people? I've worked with MySQL for a very long time, and this is all news to me. I've worked in companies of all sizes with it. And of all types. Outside of SW, I'm serious that I may never have heard this as you describe. It's still so rare that when someone says it out loud it really catches my attention because it sounds so odd.

                                            http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2972334/correct-pronunciation-of-mysql

                                            It's not like every major resource doesn't have it documented how it is called. It's not like it is not a proper name. Who are these people in droves using this new pronunciation that they've determined to use against the will of the product itself? Why do I not run into them (outside of SW where it is pretty expected due to the bubble effect and that most people are buyers, not IT.)

                                            Are you finding it in database shops with DBAs? Or is it limited to the one man shops where using the term out loud never happens?

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