AOL Journals: Magic Smoke

Friday, March 17, 2006
10:50:00 AM EST
Hearing Cocteau Twins, Hazel Hi folks; Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Just so you know, this here entry's headline is specifically designed to irritate my Irish-from-Ireland friends, who go absolutely nutso because we Americans think that "St. Patty's Day" is an acceptable abbreviation for "St. Patrick's Day."

Here it is directly from the AOL Style Guide:

"St. Patrick's Day
· St. Patty's Day is an accepted abbreviation. Do NOT use St. Paddy's Day."

Of course, the Irish-from-Ireland say "No! Patty is a girl's name. It's Paddy!" Okay, I say, then how about "St. Pat's"? "NO! It's St. Paddy's! Arrrrrggghhh!!"

Now, I've had my disagreements with the AOL Style Guide in the past, but I just go with the flow on this one.

I will get Part 2 of the Blog Six-Pack Picks up a little later today, and then the new Guest Editor's Picks up later after that.

Thanks. -- Joe


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This entry has 4 comments: (Add your own)

• #4 Comment from qtrnote12 
  3/26/06 6:18 PM | Permalink

  i dunno.... this seems very strange.... like who cares????? by the way my personal opinion when i say st. pattys day:
  
  i spell it with 2 d's!!!! :)
• #3 Comment from adam 
  3/20/06 12:07 PM | Permalink

  Being one of the referenced "Irish-from-Ireland" friends, I can confirm that this does indeed drive us nuts - I know why the do it - "Paddy" being considered derogatory in some areas.  Fact is that no one actually from Ireland actually cares about being called Paddy or whatever, it's all about the context.  Not so here in America, things are a little bit too PC for my liking.........
• #2 Comment from thefinnishline 
  3/18/06 4:17 AM | Permalink

      I experimented with several "abreviations" ... chose "St. Patty's Day.
      I was writing in response to my daughter's e-mail that said, "Maybe the official U.P. (Upper Peninsula) color of "St. Patty's Day should be WHITE ... TO WHICH I REPLIED , "Actually, it is a fact-of -legend that we will have a "St. Pattrick's Day SNOW STORM each year."
  LOIS
  http://journals.aol.com/lowis6535/UpperPeninsulaMIandbeyond/
• #1 Comment from csandhollow 
  3/17/06 11:09 AM | Permalink

  never heard it called st patty's day. and i am american