Pronunciation: "S.Q.L." or "sequel"? 2

[psemianonymous]

I've heard both. I use the SQL-as-in-letters pronunciation method, but I've heard others use the "sequel."

Which is it?


Pete

 

[Dimandja]

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. By the way, the current SQL language can no longer accurately be described as a "Structured Query Language".

The "Sequel Language" did exist once. It is commonly defined as a precursor language to SQL.

Calling SQL "sequel" is not accurate.

Dimandja

 

[jrbarnett]

I've heard that it was often pronounced "Sequel" because the language that predated it was "Query Language" called QL, therefore this made a lot of sense.
I though use the three letters when asked, unless the people who ask me use "sequel"

John

 

[JeremyNYC]

Sequel may well have been a language at one point, but saying that pronouncing SQL as "sequel" is not accurate seems a little heavy handed to me. It's a lot easier to say "sequel" than "ess cue el", and that's why I do it. Same reason that people say "cad" rather than "cee eh dee".

Jeremy

==
Jeremy Wallace
AlphaBet City Dataworks

http://www.ABCDataworks.com

Access Databases for Non-Profit Organizations

Please post in the appropriate forum with a descriptive subject; code and SQL, if referenced; and expected results. See thread181-473997 for more pointers.

 

[Dimandja]

"cad" cannot be confused with anything. "sequel" (vernacular for "Structured English Query Language&quot can be confusing or at least annoying to those who work or worked with both languages.

If you want to learn about the history of Sequel and SQL check this link:

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/6.5/interactive/sql.htm

Dimandja

 

[CajunCenturion]

Consistent with some of the thoughts already presented, Sequel and SQL are not the same thing, and therefore, should not be treated as if they are interchangeable.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[skiflyer]

I dunno, I'm probably horrible in this regard... but it's always S.Q.L. for me, except my microsoft sql servers are sequel servers... no idea where I picked that up, did hear some justification for it at some point. I phase those out as quickly as possible anyway so I suppose I can live with the inconsistency.

-Rob

 

[r937]

it is pronounced "squeal"

i always say that around MCSEs, just to watch them squirm

for the rest of the world, i pronounce it the way it should be pronounced -- as an initialism, not an acronym

rudy

http://r937.com/

SQL Consulting

 

[Craig0201]

Isn't it actually SQL Query Language in the same way that PHP is PHP Hypertext Processor?

Craig

 

[r937]

no, it isn't

and php stands for personal home page

you could look it up

rudy

http://r937.com/

SQL Consulting

 

[skiflyer]

PHP does not stand for Personal Home Page it stands for PHP Hypertext Processor.

From

http://www.php.net/manual/en/faq.general.php

2. What does PHP stand for?

PHP stands for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. This confuses many people because the first word of the acronym is the acronym. This type of acronym is called a recursive acronym. The curious can visit Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing for more information on recursive acronyms.

 

[r937]

dig a little deeper, look at the history

http://www.php.net/manual/en/history.php

they chose the cutesy recursive acronym much later, because they wanted to get away from the "personal home page" mindset that the original name carried

given what many personal home pages looked like back in those days, though, i would have to agree that rebranding was a good decision





rudy

http://r937.com/

SQL Consulting

 

[sem]

Look here:

http://www.engin.umd.umich.edu/CIS/course.des/cis400/sql/sql.html

Regards, Dima

http://seminihin.narod.ru

 

[ChrisHunt]

"I've heard both ... Which is it?"

You've answered your own question - it's both. Spoken english isn't like a computer language - it's illogical, so it's quite possible to have two totally different pronunciations for the same word. All together now...

You say ess-cue-ell and I say sequel
You say you-are-ell and I say earl
ess-cue-ell!
sequel!
you-are-ell!
earl!
Let's call the whole thing off...

For the record, personally I say "sequel" and "you-are-ell" respectively.

-- Chris Hunt

http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk

http://www.napitalia.org.uk

http://www.leicesteryha.org.uk

 

[skiflyer]

Yeah, but much like kids who read alot more than they converse, sometimes it's good for us programmer types to ask these questions... just the other day it took me a second to process wizzy-wigs in a meeting cause I always called them What you see editors, in fact I still do cause I think wizzy-wigs sounded pretty stupid, but at least now I know what I'm hearing.

-Rob

 

[r937]

i always call the WYGIWYD editors -- what you get (quality of the generated html) is what you deserve

rudy

http://r937.com/

SQL Consulting

 

[ESquared]

Anyone ever heard of RAS Syndrome?

PIN Number
ATM Machine
API Interface
ASP Page
SQL Language


Those are bad enough, but now we have intentional "recursive acronyms?" That makes me very unhappy. :-(

 

[sfvb]

Have a star for making me laugh. I'll add the one that bugs me the most:

NIC card

Steve

 

[ESquared]

Ooh, yes I hate than one, too!

Did you catch that RAS Syndrome is one of them... Redundant Acronym Syndrome Syndrome.

My favorite is "ASPI Interface" which when expanded is:
Avanced (Small Computer Systems Interface) Programming Interface Interface

I apologize to all you folks for the off-topic posts. I'll try to keep it down to the very rare occasional one.

 

[Dimandja]

It's "like deja vu all over again".