# the letter "z"  [name?]



## BasedowLives

What english speaking countries say "zed"?

I didn't even know until today that it wasn't pronounced "zee" everywhere?

And non-natives, which pronunciation did you learn?


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## Idioteque

BasedowLives said:
			
		

> What english speaking countries say "zed"?
> 
> I didn't even know until today that it wasn't pronounced "zee" everywhere?
> 
> And non-natives, which pronunciation did you learn?



Hello BasedowLives,
as a non-native I was taught that the correct pronunciation is "zed", but I have honestly always heard only "zee" as the pronunciation of "z"... 

maybe another difference between BE and AE? 

Hope that what I wrote makes sense in English!  Corrections are always welcome!

Laura


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## buddingtranslator

Britons pronounce it "zed". North Americans pronounce it "zee".


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## VenusEnvy

buddingtranslator said:
			
		

> Britons pronounce it "zed".


I must say that this comes as quite a shock to me!   Never in my life had I heard of this!


			
				Budding said:
			
		

> North Americans pronounce it "zee".


I can attest that indeed, North Americans pronounce this letter as "zee".


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## angeluomo

Yes, it is "zed" in the British Isles and "zee" in the US.  I hadn't heard the "zed" version until I started teaching English in an Austrian high school.  I presume it's "zed" everywhere in the old Commonwealth, but I am not 100% sure.


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## buddingtranslator

I think you're right Angleuomo. It's unusual how so many people didn't know this!

BT


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## diegodbs

I was taught that "z" was pronounced "zed".


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## gisele73

I didn't know this either. I learned at school that it was pronounced "zee".

Leaving in Norway it gave me trouble sometimes, when I had to spell something on the phone, in English (when I didn't speak Norwegian). Once I had to call an airline to ask for a delayed suitcase and one of the letters in my reservation code was "z", needless to say, they said they couldn't find it...but then I called back and pronounced it the Norwegian way "set" and they found it.


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## You little ripper!

"Z" is pronounced *zed* in Australia and New Zealand. Angeluomo is probably correct in saying that Commonwealth countries are the ones that pronounce it that way, although I don't think Canada does.

Laura, what you wrote makes perfect sense.


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## Idioteque

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> Laura, what you wrote makes perfect sense.



Thank you very much, Charles


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## Brioche

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> "Z" is pronounced *zed* in Australia and New Zealand. Angeluomo is probably correct in saying that Commonwealth countries are the ones that pronounce it that way, although I don't think Canada does.


 
Traditionally, Canada said Zed.
Some Canadians make a point of it, just to show they are not from the US.
As shown in the Molson beer ad, of a few years ago.
http://www.coolcanuckaward.ca/joe_canadian.htm


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## jupa

In the US we say "zee," but there is a common phrase, "From A to Zed." 

_The new grocery store sold everything from _A to Zed_. _


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## DBM

HI!!!
I'm a non-native speaker of English.
British people say "zed" and I've learnt it like that. 
Actually, the same thing happened to me but right the other way round when I first heard an American saying "zee". I was like "wot?"


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## Isotta

Brioche said:
			
		

> Traditionally, Canada said Zed.
> Some Canadians make a point of it, just to show they are not from the US.
> As shown in the Molson beer ad, of a few years ago.
> http://www.coolcanuckaward.ca/joe_canadian.htm



I can confirm that Canadians say "zed." I say "zed" from having learnt my ABC's there.

Z.


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## You little ripper!

Isotta said:
			
		

> I can confirm that Canadians say "zed." I say "zed" from having learnt my ABC's there.
> 
> Z.


That's interesting to know.  I would have thought that being so close to the United States, that the _zee_ may have rubbed off.


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## BasedowLives

Brioche said:
			
		

> Traditionally, Canada said Zed.
> Some Canadians make a point of it, just to show they are not from the US.
> As shown in the Molson beer ad, of a few years ago.
> http://www.coolcanuckaward.ca/joe_canadian.htm



thats actually the ad that made me start this thread.  i saw that and i did a double take and was like, "huh?"

so it looks like the united statesians are alone in this battle of Z's.  well as it's 3AM here i'm off to go catch a few.


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## Arise

gisele73 said:
			
		

> I didn't know this either. I learned at school that it was pronounced "zee".
> 
> Leaving in Norway it gave me trouble sometimes, when I had to spell something on the phone, in English (when I didn't speak Norwegian). Once I had to call an airline to ask for a delayed suitcase and one of the letters in my reservation code was "z", needless to say, they said they couldn't find it...but then I called back and pronounced it the Norwegian way "set" and they found it.


 
I'm spanish and I always heard "zed" or "set" like the sound of "Z". I never heard "zee"...

Salutes, Arise.


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## gisele73

Arise said:
			
		

> I'm spanish and I always heard "zed" or "set" like the sound of "Z". I never heard "zee"...
> 
> Salutes, Arise.



Hi Arise 

I guess it might be because Spain is closer to England and probably there is more chance that the English taught in Spanish schools is the Bristish one. In Peru, being closer geographically to US is more common to learn US English, even if there are British schools in Peru as well.

The same happens with Portughese. I have some Peruvian friends who have learned Portughese and they were taught the Brazilian one.

Just my opinion.


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## Samo

I believe that all anglophone countries say "zed" except the US including Canada says zed.


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## cherine

Samo said:
			
		

> I believe that all anglophone countries say "zed" except the US including Canada.


I agree with you. I've learnt this letter as zed. The first time I heard it as zee was in an American movie, and i was amazed  I've even thought it was sort of slang


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## Samo

Cherine, zee is standard forthe US.


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## Arise

cherine said:
			
		

> I agree with you. I've learnt this letter as zed. The first time I heard it as zee was in an American movie, and i was amazed  I've even thought it was sort of slang


 
I agree too.

Arise.


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## mora

Hello

Although American spelling (color, flavor etc.) is increasingly used in Canada, Canadians remain steadfast in their use of 'zed'. Even American immigrants to Canada switch to 'zed'. 

Mora


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## Moogey

Alex_Murphy said:
			
		

> "." full stop we'd say in England.



Really? That's very interesting! I also understand that in every English-speaking country except USA they pronounce "Z" as "Zed"? Very interesting!

-M


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## Cloudy-aw

Moogey said:
			
		

> Really? That's very interesting! I also understand that in every English-speaking country except USA they pronounce "Z" as "Zed"? Very interesting!
> 
> -M


 
How do they pronounce "Zed" in the USA ?

PS. Zed's dead baby, Zed's dead.  Sorry I couldn't resist.


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## joanpeace

In the USA and sometimes in Canada, the letter "Z" is pronounced _"zee"_


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## A90Six

Some lines from the *All Saints* song "_Never Ever"_.

*Vexing vocabulary runs right through me
The alphabet runs right from A to Z
*
and later,

*Sometimes vocabulary runs right through my head
The alphabet runs right from A to Z*

As you can see in the first part is is pronounced *zee* to rhyme with me, and in the second part *zed* to rhyme with head. I imagine they wanted a transatlantic hit!*
*


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## maxiogee

A90Six said:
			
		

> Sometimes vocabulary runs right through my head
> The alphabet runs right from A to Z



If someone uses "z" to rhyme with "head", shouldn't they ditch the "to" in  favour favor of "through"?


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## A90Six

maxiogee said:
			
		

> If someone uses "z" to rhyme with "head", shouldn't they ditch the "to" in  favour favor of "through"?


Good point maxi, possibly even *thru*.


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## pjay

Well, I still remember learning the English alphabet at school in Germany, and of course they taught us to pronounce it "zed". Officially German schools consider both British and American English as equal, but British English is definitely the prime reference model all over western Europe. They teach a little bit of American English but it's primarily BrE. It might be different in the new EU member countries like Poland though. The same holds for Spanish and French. German schools primarily teach Iberian Spanish and hexogonal French.

I know that in places like Peru and Ecuador they use AmE as their standard reference model. So Peruvian children learn the "zee" pronunciation.


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## morx

The only time I've ever heard "zed" was in the alphabet song. ^^


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## moirag

I´m  amazed at all these Americans not knowing about this. I discovered this difference when I was  at primary school. At my school we had an American (US) exchange teacher, Miss Delgado, and on her first day she went over the alphabet with us, all of us, her included, speaking in unison. All fine, till we got to "z", when there were looks of amazement all round. She had never heard of the difference, and obviously we were too young to be aware of it. I´ve never forgotten it.


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## joanpeace

I tried an experiment with my family.  I asked them to tell me the name of the last letter of the alphabet -- they each said "zee" without hesitation.
Then I asked them to spell the word "zip" and they said "zed" "eye" "pee", also without a moment's thought.  It's curious.  Although we are born and raised in Canada, the only explanation I can offer for naming the final letter "zee" is the alphabet song (in which z must rhyme with v) and Sesame Street TV shows which, in those days, came from the United States.

Joan


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## shaloo

Hi all,

 I too have learnt it as "zed" and thats in India.

And I think its because India is a country greatly influenced by the British at one time.

Shalu


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## manjiri

buddingtranslator said:
			
		

> Britons pronounce it "zed". North Americans pronounce it "zee".


 
yes it is 'ZED' as taught to me in school. Later when I started my career with a north American company, I was made aware of the ' ZEE'.


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## jancho

Which one is correct pronunciation of letter 'z' in American English?

z [zed]
z [zi:]


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## L'Homme Inconnu

[zi:] is AE, [zed] BrE.


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## curlyboy20

In Canada they say "zed".


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## mplsray

curlyboy20 said:


> In Canada they say "zed".



This is true, which is why Dr. Rodney McKay on Stargate Atlantis, a Canadian scientist, pronounces ZPM as "zed pee em" while American members of the Atlantis team--as well as alien members--say "zee pee em."

I expect that most Canadians would be annoyed to be told they speak American English, however, just as they would be annoyed if you were to refer to them as Americans. They speak Canadian English.


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## Frankie_Z

Dear All,

I am wondering how to pronounce the letter Z.

I was ever taught "zed" in school. But in U.S., it brings me a lot of trouble, when I try to spell my name via the phone. Someone ever told me "zeen", but it does not work all the time.  

Thanks,

Zhang


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## JamesM

"Zee" (with no "n") is the name of the letter in American English. If you are speaking over the phone it's common to say "Zee as in zebra" to make it clear. ("Zebra" is pronounced "zee-bruh" in American English as opposed to "zeh-bruh" in British English.  )


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## Frankie_Z

quite clear JamesM!

Thanks


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## JamesM

Frankie_Z said:


> I was ever always taught "zed" in school.
> ...
> Someone ever once told me "zeen", but it does not work all the time.


 
(I hope you don't mind the suggested corrections.)


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## Frankie_Z

JamesM said:


> (I hope you don't mind the suggested corrections.)


Not at all. Thank you for corrections!


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## Ferrydog

Interesting difference in pronunciation of 'zebra' there. You could get around this potential misunderstanding by using the standard phonetic alphabet substitute for the letter 'z' which is 'zulu'.


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## Pedro y La Torre

In Ireland, the letter is also pronounced as _zed_. However, the zee pronounciation is well known here thanks to American television shows and music. Indeed, when I was young I learned the ABC song in primary school and the final letter was always pronounced as zee.


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## panjandrum

Are there any "i-zed" people out there?
Way, way back, I knew some people who used this pronunciation it's like zed with "uh" in front of it.
It is, I believe, an archaic name for the letter, written in the OED as _izzard _or _uzzard_.
I thought it was a local dialect pronunciation until I found the OED reference.


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## Loob

That's a new one on this "zed"-person, panj....


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## spatula

I recently had a discussion about this with an American cousin of mine.  She scoffed when I told her we pronounced it 'zed' and, rather smugly asked me how then I pronounced 'ze(eeeeee)bra'.  I was happy to inform her that it was 'ze(h)bra', just the same as it was in fact 'zed'.


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## northerncity

Hi,dear all,
I came across a sentence"the British call Z zed and the Scots call it ezed but Americans call it zee"
I am confused about it .could you tell me how to pronounce the letter in common English,both in British English and US English?
Thank you for your time~!


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## Loob

Hello northerncity

I've never heard anyone say 'ezed'....


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## northerncity

Loob said:


> Hello northerncity
> 
> I've never heard anyone say 'ezed'....


 Thanks, Loob,I have got it~!


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## Pedro y La Torre

E-zed is presumably related to panjandrum's i-zed mention above.


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## Loob

Pedro y La Torre said:


> E-zed is presumably related to panjandrum's i-zed mention above.


Yes, I'm sure you're right: panj mentions it (and the OED reference to it) in what is now post 47 in the merged thread.


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## nzfauna

I had thought that the 'zee' pronunciation was used ONLY in US English.

(and I confirm that NZE uses 'zed', as Charles has already stated)


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## PaceFalmPG

Hello,
I think it's a highly stupid question, but I'll ask it anyway, because I've been wondering it for quite a while now. How do you pronounce the letter "Z"?
As far as I know the correct pronunciation is "zet". E.g. you say "zet" in the alphabet and "Dragonball Zet" not "Dragonball Zee" (just taking this example because I know it for sure)
But there seem to be some situations in which the pronunciation changes to "zee". E.g. There're "EZ" as an abbreviation of "easy" and "EZPZ" of easy-peasy. The Z is obviously supposed to be pronounced as "zee" here.
So what's correct now? How do you pronounce "DayZ" (DayZet or DayZee?)?

Best regards,
PaceFalmPG


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## natkretep

Mod note: PaceFalm's question has been added to an earlier mega-thread.

As you can see from the earlier posts, AmE speakers say zee, and other English speakers say zed. I've never seen EZPZ, but I've seen EZ, and you're supposed to say 'easy'. And I suppose if you refer to the pop band ZZ Top, you also have to say zee zee top.


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## schoolhouse

jupa said:


> In the US we say "zee," but there is a common phrase, "From A to Zed."
> 
> _The new grocery store sold everything from _A to Zed_. _



Funny, I've heard only "from A to Zee" in US, "A to Zed" only in UK.


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## Egmont

schoolhouse said:


> Funny, I've heard only "from A to Zee" in US, "A to Zed" only in UK.


Me too. I have a London road map in a small book called "A to Z." Even though my English is AE, I've always called its last letter "zed" because that's what people call it in London. That's where I use it, and if I called it anything else there, people would consider it strange. However, to me its name "Aytazed" is a linguistic unit. I don't think about its components. If I did, I might say "A to zee."


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## pob14

I've never heard "A to Zed" in AE either. I had never heard "Zed" _at all_ until I got married to a woman who had spent her high school years in Australia.


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## rituparnahoymoy

New question has been added to existing thread.  Cagey, moderator 

How to pronounce "z"?


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## GreenWhiteBlue

In what word?  It does not have just one sound, you know!


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## pob14

Or do you mean the letter itself?  We need context.


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## rituparnahoymoy

GreenWhiteBlue said:


> In what word?  It does not have just one sound, you know!


As a block letter.  DSZ.


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## Glenfarclas

It's pronounced /ziː/, or, for the British, /zɛd/.  I'm sure you would find the pronunciation in a dictionary if you looked it up.


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## ewie

Pronunciation of "z" in American English


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## Lun-14

I have heard three pronunciations: _Zee, Zeed, Zed._


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## Oddmania

I was curious about the Canadian pronunciation, so I checked on Wikipedia and found this:


> The name of the letter Z is normally the Anglo-European (and French) _zed_; the American _zee_ is less common in Canada, and it is often stigmatized, though the latter is not uncommon, especially among younger Canadians.


I don't know how old this article is and whether _zee _has gained ground, though. So, basically:

USA: _zee_.
Commonwealth: _zed_.​


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## ewie

There's an American brand called LAZBOY (sometimes spelt LA-Z-BOY and LA Z BOY) ~ they make reclining chairs, sofas, etc.  The products are now widely available in the UK.  Every single time I see the name I read it as *lazz-boy* or *la-zed-boy*.





Also (while I'm boring the pants off you), there was a film a few years ago called _World War Z_ ~ it was about the world being taken over by zombies, hence the Z.  It took me months of interpreting the title as *world-war-zed* (and thinking it wasn't very clever) before I realized it was a kind of aural pun on _World War *3*_

My point ~ such as it is ~ is that the names of letters are the very first things we learn as infants and so are very very deeply ingrained.  It's the same thing, kind of, more or less, as when you're reading a big chunk of a foreign text and suddenly there's a _19,287.23_ in the middle: no matter how fluent you might be in that foreign language, your brain reads the numbers in English.  Probably.  Erm, that's it.


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## PaulQ

When a child, I was confused by "zebra" as it is apparently pronounced /ˈziːbrə/ and /ˈzɛbrə/ - |I had only known it as /ˈzɛbrə/. When I found the "zed/zee difference, I immediately assumed that /ˈziːbrə/ was AE.

I had continued with that thought until now: the OED gives both pronunciations without an AE/BE distinction, and the WRF dictionary gives only /ˈziːbrə/ (shame!)


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## Keith Bradford

Dear Forum,

I've always pronounced it zed as I wrote in my play _King Lear,_ act 2 scene 2:
_"Thou whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter!"_​
Sincerely, Will Shakspere


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## ewie

If it's good enough for Shakespeare ...
I wouldn't call it a whoreson, though.  It's just about my favouritest letter


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## natkretep

In case anyone is wondering, <z> is called the unnecessary letter because it Old English, the letter <s> sufficed for both the /s/ and /z/ sounds, and so we continue to use <s> for _rise_ and _wise_, but note AmE _cozy_ for BrE _cosy_.

And yes, I say zed.


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## LouisFerdinand

In grade school I learned about the Zuiderzee in The Netherlands. The teacher said to pronounce the last syllable as "zee". It rhymes with "bee".


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## natkretep

That is from Dutch (Dutch /ˌzœy̯dərˈzeː/, anglicised to /ˌzaɪdə(r) ˈziː/) though and not about the name of the letter.


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