New Post
Search
HelpWhy do British people nickname with -azza or -ozza?
I'm from Canada, but from reading British books and watching its television and movies, I've noticed a lot of Brits are nicknamed Jazza or some variant, and I've heard Rozza somewhere here. WHY? Can anyone explain its prevalence in British people's vocabulary?
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
Aussies do it!
My student Harrison gets called Hazza, we call my aunt Shazza in jest. But for Aussies we will shorten anything that we can, we seem to love slang! Even if a name is short, we will put something on it to change it! alot of the time we use y at the ends.
Ben = Benny
Scott = Scotty
Josh = Joshy
Matt = Matty
etc.
My student Harrison gets called Hazza, we call my aunt Shazza in jest. But for Aussies we will shorten anything that we can, we seem to love slang! Even if a name is short, we will put something on it to change it! alot of the time we use y at the ends.
Ben = Benny
Scott = Scotty
Josh = Joshy
Matt = Matty
etc.
1
It's in Australia too, eg Caroline gets Cazz or Cazza or Barry gets Baz. Ugh I can't stand it. It's so bogan.
1
I've seen Australians do this, too (on the Internet). I always wondered where it came from.
1
It's definitely a common thing in Australia, yeah.
1
Being a Brit...
I can honestly say I have no idea. I've been known as "Bazza" before [Alisha G > Ali G > Sacha Baron Cohen > Baron > Bazza]. It tends to come with names with Rs; Harry "Hazza", Barry "Baz", Ryan "Raz". Sorry, I'm babbling and I honestly don't have an answer other than the R thing.
I can honestly say I have no idea. I've been known as "Bazza" before [Alisha G > Ali G > Sacha Baron Cohen > Baron > Bazza]. It tends to come with names with Rs; Harry "Hazza", Barry "Baz", Ryan "Raz". Sorry, I'm babbling and I honestly don't have an answer other than the R thing.
1
Me neither. 'Rozzers' is an old slang term for the police which apparently dates from 1893, so maybe it's kind of based on that, but I'm totally clutching at straws here.
1
I have no idea either but just to add I've also known Sharon = Shaz, Shazza / Shazzer (in Bridget Jones), Darren = Daz, Marian = Maz (this was a woman I worked with), Karen = Kaz, Caroline = Caz. I think it's just because names which have an R in them aren't easy to abbreviate. Though why Brits do it and other nationalities don't, who knows?
1
Ah, yes. We have a friend nicknamed Daz, and we know a Maria who's sometimes nicknamed Mazzle.
I s'pose we should embrace our individuality as a Nation.
I s'pose we should embrace our individuality as a Nation.
1
Aussies do it to. But I suppose that's probably a reflection of our British ancestry!
1
Probably has to do with nonrhoticism
1
I think that is the reason too, thanks for introducing rhotic and non-rhotic accents to me. Harhar, say "a rhotic accent" out loud" ;-)
1
That's where you don't pronounce Rs, right? I don't know if that has anything to do with it, 'cause the Rs in Harry, Karen and friends are always pronounced.
1
I have to say though, sometimes I hear Brits saying Harry like the r's are a w like 'Hawwy'
1
Well, those are all R's that begin syllables. R's that close them aren't pronounced, and if you shorten Harry or Karen they become Har or Kar, which is an awkward sound in non-rhotic dialects, so maybe the Z gets added on because the mouth wants to close around a sound
1
Ah, yeah, I see what you mean. That's interesting.
1
You could try asking this one on the Facts board - someone there might have an answer.
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/list.php?board=gen
http://www.behindthename.com/bb/list.php?board=gen
1
I don't know. I'm still trying to figure out why they call Paul McCartney Macca.
1
Macauley, McCartney and friends get shortened to "Mac", and Macca's just an elaborated form. That's all there is to it.
1
Mac-ca rtney?
1
Maybe it's based on his surname?
1
Oh, yeah, I knew it was based upon his surname. I didn't mean "still trying to figure out" literally, though that wasn't clear. I meant it in the sense of "It sounds weird to me because we don't call him that in the US." I could have just let this go, but it was bothering me that people would think I'm that dumb, though it would be my own fault if they did! :-D
1