St. Patty or St. Paddy?

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Flying mop dog

The shortened version of Patrick would be Pat. Patty is a woman's name.

However the Irish for Patrick is Padraig so we call it Paddy's day.

EDIT: Would Americans please stop answering here if they haven't a clue what they are saying.

froggequene

Americans say Patty, the Irish & everyone else says Paddy - it does get on Irish people's nerves when Americans say Patty, it's like nails down a blackboard. I've never met an Irish man called Patty & I've met a fair few Patricks & Padraigs, even a few Padrics.

I should be doing something else

It is PADDY

I can see the logic of where you are coming from as there is no D in the name Patrick and the fact that Pat is also a shortened version of Patrick, but trust me, it is Paddy.

Patty is a girls name (shortened from Patricia)

The Irish spelling of Patrick is PÃ¡draig.

Viva La Eire!

Ive never heard of people saying "Patty"

Christine

Patty is the feminine short version of Patricia, so its Paddy (to us Irish)

dollymix (now geeky for a month)

It's Paddy. I have never ever heard anyone call St. Patricks day St. Pattys day. If you want to say it short say it like Paddy.

Stifle

The short version is Paddy's day.

midnightrambler

Paddy would be very acceptable since the Irish-Gaelic spelling of Patrick is Padraig. Patrick is the Anglisized version of the name.

Gone fishin'

Ouch. St Paddy is the correct version.

Crazygirl

Shure somebody explained the logic of Patty to me Yesterday.

Look up this question on the seach engine on Yahoo answers.

"What is the logic reason why people are calling Saint Patrick, St Patty?"

Patty is a girls name.
Patrick is not.
But the answer explains how some people call Patrick, Patty.
I think Patty sounds dumb.

If we called Abraham Lincoln "Abi Lee" I am sure most Americans would dislike it. lol

Happy Saint Patricks Day.

Eddie F

It's known far and wide as Paddy's Day.

Eammon

Paddy. Patty is a womans name. And to the people saying "T for Patrick", how about Padraig, the Irish version?

Aisling R

I've heard that the reason the Irish in America (New York at least) started calling it "St Pat's" was because the American-born Americans used "Paddy" as a derogratory term, pretty much like "a fresh off the boat Mick".

St Paddy's and St Pat's sort of got mingled into "St Patty's" over the space of a few generations.

Don't know if this is a fact or an Urban Legend stated as fact by the TV researchers, but I saw it on a documentary about the film "Gangs of New York."

ilovemenwithhairyfeet

its PADDYS day

anyone pattys day is kinda thick and is DEFINATELY not irish

slipstreamer

In the US, either will do. In Ireland it is St Paddys.

Irish people do get annoyed at this, but I think they might need to just let it go. Different countries do things differently. Patty or Pattie is just the US nickname/shortened version used by Irish Americans. I answered this in another question earlier - but the reason was that Patrick is shortend to Pat, or Pattie/Patty not Padraig or Paddy in the US, and that "Paddy" was also a very offensive slur to use against an Irish person in the US a generation or so ago. So, not really used in the US.

American English is different from that used in Ireland/UKand has little connection to the Irish language, so of course the names will be different. Most people have never heard the name Padraig in the US. So when exactly would "Paddy" be used in the general population? Should the Jewish people get all upset at the Irish for changing what are basically Hebrew names into Irish names? The names Mary/Maureen/Moira should actually be Miryam in that case. St. Patrick wasn't Irish, so I doubt he'd be calling himself Paddy. I don't think he'd have gotten upset about Patty either.

Other countries change the names of American things all the time. The Irish call potato chips crisps - even though Americans invented them and that is not the correct name. Do I get all upset about it? Not really. American culture is mangled worldwide by others on a daily basis - it happens. It generally isn't meant in a disrespectful way, so we don't take offense. It is just reinterpretation.

People will get upset about almost anything given the chance. I use Paddy as to not offend, but it makes me wonder when people take minor things to extremes. Different countries do things their own way, as we all have different paths and history.

Whatever one calls it, on whichever land mass you happen to be standing on.. lighten up and have a happy St. Patricks day!

kitkat11

That may be the way they shorten it in Ireland. It was good that you trusted your friend she was probably right about it but, not in our confusing language. English is the hardest language to learn. Because, some things sound like they should be spelled one way but, are actually spelled another. Plus the Figurative Language gets every one confused.

iâ™¥twilight!!

patty

DarkSilver

Patty

Kay Krunk

I'd say it's St. Patty because of the shortened version of Patrick... You are correct. Your friend is wrong :)

Binyamin

patty, for patrick

not paddy, for padtrick

Mrs. Jasper Hale<3

It's definetly St. Patty's day. (I'm part Irish). And yes its short for Patrick.

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