SQL was initially developed at IBM by Donald D. Chamberlin and Raymond F. Boyce after learning about the relational model from Edgar F. Codd[12] in the early 1970s.[13] This version, initially called SEQUEL (Structured English Query Language), was designed to manipulate and retrieve data stored in IBM's original quasirelational database management system, System R, which a group at IBM San Jose Research Laboratory had developed during the 1970s.[13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL

It then later evolved, and changed from being an acronym into an initialism, kind of, sort of, mostly for people who are unaware of the etymology.

'Sequel' is quite literally the tradtional way to pronounce it.

[–] pelya@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago

DNS is pronounced 'hosts' because it was originally one big text file.

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 27 points 2 days ago

TIL, thank you. Still not gonna say it like that.

[–] Phoenix3875@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Came here to make this comment. So by the same logic, DNS or Domain Name System should have been abbreviated to DoNaS and pronounced dou-NAS.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 10 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

That would explain why it's only American to I've ever heard referred to it like that. Every European developer I've ever heard referred to it as always called it SQL as would I.

Other DNS is definitely Dennis from now on.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I too am going to call DNS 'Dennis' from now on, lol.

Yeah I've had some discussions over time with the whole SQL vs Sequel thing, and what I realized was that...

Well basically, I learned 'Sequel' from a bunch of old timers in the Seattle area.

The kind of people who had been writing COBOL since they got back from Vietnam, people who'd actually worked at IBM, still acted like Microsoft was an 'upstart', people who'd just offhand tell me about the one time they got 'deployed' to Saudi Arabia to flash a compromised BIOS onto hardware destined to be used in Saddam's air defense network, prior to the Gulf War.

So, they actually literally were there back when SEQUEL was invented.

[–] Dojan@pawb.social 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I too am going to call DNS 'Dennis' from now on, lol.

I want to do this because I'm sure it's going to tick someone off.

Did you update the Dennis records?

Have you checked if it can reach the Dennis server?

I love it!

[–] infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Whole internet running on the Dennis system, go figure.

Because of the implication

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago

Well... the .gov domains are currently run by an orange god emperor... so... pretty close.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 day ago

Also, just a plethora of potential Dennis the Menace jokes.

[–] yabbadabaddon@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 days ago

Yeah except this name was already taken and then it became SQL, dropping the English.

Even the start of your wiki says:

Structured Query Language (SQL) (pronounced /ˌɛsˌkjuˈɛl/ S-Q-L; or alternatively as /ˈsiːkwəl/ ⓘ

[–] zod000@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Thanks for making the comment I came to make. I imagine being older and remembering SQL as a new-ish thing really helped cement this, but when I started programming professionally for an enterprise, literally everyone pronounced it like this. I can see how and why it makes little sense to younger people.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago

The wild thing is I'm only in my 30s, I'm probably a youngin', compared to you, I just was around a good deal of old timers, real fuckin' wizard types.

[–] undree@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Still gonna call it squirrel though