What’s that sound?

Add comment June 2nd, 2009

A person doesn’t have to be involved in magic or witchcraft to be a wizard. The noun also can be informal for “a person exceptionally gifted or clever at a specified activity.”

And that includes Earvin Johnson, a wizard at basketball who became known as “Magic.”

So is the correct short form for “wizard” “wiz” or “whiz”? Yes — Webster’s considers both acceptable.

The second one, which is also a verb related to certain sounds, brings its “special skills” aspect to the slang “whiz kid” and “whiz-bang.” The latter also was an old slang term for a type of “explosive shell of great speed whose sound of explosion occurs immediately after its sound of flight.” In other word, a whiz and then a bang.

“Whiz” is an echoic word — “formed in approximate imitation of some sound.”

Strangely, Webster’s example of an echoic word is “tinkle,” which has the same problem as “whiz” — they’re also informal terms for urination.

For that reason, I would go with “wiz” whenever possible.