The question of our time: AT-AT vs. A.T.A.T

[Mu Satach]

Since viewing Empire back as a kid during the first release and then coveting the toys I have always referred to Imperial walkers as AT-ATs.
Phonetically. Somewhere along the line between 1981 and today I have been aware that some people pronounce it by stating the individual letters. A-T-A-T.

Well, apparently this variation of pronunciation has caused consternation among many a nerd kind. So much so that Nerdist felt the need to post the following video because I can only imagine the uber fan boi's railed on them for pronouncing it AT-AT in a previous video instead of A.T.A.T.
https://www.facebook.com/Nerdist/videos/1279404208744051

But it got me wondering about our little community. What is your preferred pronunciation?

Mine is AT-AT because that's how I first heard it back when it first came out and is the least amount of syllables used. My personal theory is that in English humans are constantly trying to shorten and refer to things with the least amount of syllables.

TIE is 1 syllable, T.I.E. is 3

R2-D2 4, Artoo 2
C-3PO 4, Threepio 3
and my own name Natalie 3, Nat 1

This contraction only works though if it can still be clearly understood and spoken. It's a natural occurrence as we try to quickly transfer information in a verbal form that is slower than our thoughts.

So what's your verbal poison?

[Lilaena De'Ville]

We always called them A-T-A-T's :shrug:

[Charley]

ay tee ay tee

[Barton Henning]

ay tee ay tee

ditto

[Razielle Alastor]

ay tee ay tee This, or Imperial Walkers which is up to 6 syllables. :p

[Satkia Beltrak]

ay tee ay tee
This. *nods*

[Mu Satach]

I'm starting to feel like I grew up in da back woods of Dantooine. *spits*

[Dasquian Belargic]

How would you pronounce AT-ST?

[Droo]

AT-AT here.

[Mu Satach]

How would you pronounce AT-ST?

AT- S. T.

[Zereth Lancer]

As part of the same family as Holly, I'm on the A.T-A.T train.

When I hear people say At-at, it makes my skin crawl a little bit. However, there is this:

https://dorksideoftheforce.com/2016/07/05/nerdist-proves-star-wars-at-at-is-pronounced-at-at/

As for the AT-ST. As a Child/Teenager, we referred to them as Chicken Walkers. It was a long time before I recognized them as AT-STs.

[Droo]

"The official pronunciation of AT-AT is the phonetic one, as in, it rhymes with hat-hat."

- LucasFilm PR, TIME, Sept. 2, 2010

No further questions, your honour. :smug:

[Halajiin Rabeak]

"The official pronunciation of AT-AT is the phonetic one, as in, it rhymes with hat-hat."

- LucasFilm PR, TIME, Sept. 2, 2010

No further questions, your honour. :smug:

Then I suppose you'd pronounce the Nissan GT-R as the Nissan Gitter?

[Bear Banthabrand]

I might just do that! It would be a bit like a Humvee in that regard.

[Captain Untouchable]

I use both, depending on the context.

Part of me sees A.T.A.T. as the more formal option (whereas AT-AT is more of a casual/nickname option), because if you're calling it an A.T-something that's the easiest way to make things matchy and consistent with all the other walkers. Then again, most people pronounce .gif as a word but .jpg and .png as initials, so that inconsistency doesn't really strike me as weird. A.T.A.T. also seems like the more "American" of the two options, but that's probably a growing up in an RAF family thing. I'm sorta conditioned to turn things into a word whenever I possibly can, so I tend to default to AT-AT in conversation, and I say larty (LAAT/i) and you-lav (ULAV) and so forth as well.

I sometimes say at-stut and at-put... though the latter is because my dad (Pete) once pointed out that AT-PT sounded like "Eighty-Petey" and made some comment about how he wasn't that old yet, so the initials are now sorta dad joke tainted in my brain.

Then again, I might be biased... my nieces just started referring to me on crutches as Uncle AT-AT, and it's kinda adorable. :love

[Droo]

Uncle AT-AT is a good name.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Yeah, I interchange the two pronunciations also. It's generally whatever comes to mind and out the mouth first.

[Darth Turbogeek]

Whut?

[Direna Vashoji]

*pew pew pew*

[Tear]

AT-AT here. Unless it's to someone I don't know then it's A.T.A.T. I think someone called me out on it (incorrectly apparently) before.

[Darth Turbogeek]

"The official pronunciation of AT-AT is the phonetic one, as in, it rhymes with hat-hat."

- LucasFilm PR, TIME, Sept. 2, 2010

No further questions, your honour. :smug:

Then I suppose you'd pronounce the Nissan GT-R as the Nissan Gitter?

R32 is pronounced Godzilla
R33 is pronounced Unf
R34 is pronounced UNF UNF UNF
R35 is pronounced FUCK MY GEARBOX BROKE AGAIN