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Subject:Pronouncing SQL, History From:"RJULIUS.US.ORACLE.COM" <RJULIUS -at- US -dot- ORACLE -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 23 Jun 1994 18:02:09 PDT
Gang, forgive me if this posts twice. I tried sending it Monday and Tuesday,
and then Eric said he posted it for me, but I haven't seen it come through yet.
According to the book _Introduction to SQL_ (Oracle Corporation 1985, 1989):
"SQL, pronounced 'sequel,' is an English-like language..." (page 1-4)
So if that's the way it's pronounced, then you would say "...a SQL query."
Only if there were two fairly common pronunciations (letters vs. word) would
there be a question (as in SCSI vs. scuzzy). Not that my company is the final
arbiter, of course, but you might consider this when evaluating our claim:
"SQL was defined by IBM Research but was introduced to the commercial market
first by Oracle Corporation, in 1979." (same page)
Besides, I don't think I've ever heard it pronounced "S-Q-L" in the years I've
been in the database biz, except by newcomers to the relational database
world.
Rich Julius Oracle Corporation
Senior Technical Writer Box 659504
Decision Support Systems 500 Oracle Parkway
(415) 506-4971 Redwood Shores, CA 94065
President, Berkeley Chapter, Society for Technical Communication
"The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise
the wealth which it prevents you from achieving." --Russell Green
