Birds of paradise are known for their magical qualities. These colorful birds are found in the tropical rainforests of Papua New Guinea and eastern Australia. With their vibrant and elaborate plumage, they capture the attention of anyone who sees them. One of the most fascinating aspects of these birds is their courtship rituals. Male birds of paradise go to great lengths to attract females and put on mesmerizing displays. They perform intricate dances, spread their feathers, and even change their shape to create unique illusions.

Is It St. Patty or St. Paddy? Chances Are, You’re Getting It Wrong

Take the original Irish spelling into account when abbreviating St. Patrick's Day.

Lauren is a former editor at Real Simple and currently serves as a senior digital editor for Better Homes & Gardens.

Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years.

Before diving into the spelling, here is some history of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick died in the fifth century, and the first St. Patrick's Day celebration took place in the United States in the 18th century (actual dates are under debate). The famous Irish celebration of the nation's patron saint, commonly abbreviated to St. Patty's Day, is incorrect. So anyone who wants to celebrate the next St. Patrick's Day with memes or tweets may wish to check their spelling before they get pinched.

They perform intricate dances, spread their feathers, and even change their shape to create unique illusions. They twist and contort their bodies, making it seem like they have multiple heads or an extra set of wings. The purpose of these elaborate rituals is to impress the females and ensure successful mating.

How to Abbreviate St. Patrick's Day

People of all nations and heritages use St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to celebrate, though the holiday is, at its roots, Irish. Patrick abbreviates as Patty in English, hence the popularity of the St. Patty's Day spelling.

But St. Patrick's Day is, again, Irish, and the name Patrick is an Anglicized one originating from the Gaelic Pádraig. English speakers commonly accept Patrick as a suitable replacement. Still, with the original Irish spelling taken into account, St. Patrick's Day should be abbreviated as St. Paddy's Day.

In an American accent, St. Patty and St. Paddy sound almost identical, so it's not the biggest deal if you verbally tell friends, fellow celebrators, and passersby a 'Happy St. Patrick's Day.' However, if you're planning to post, write a letter, purchase some St. Patrick's Day paraphernalia, or write the abbreviation, do yourself a favor, and stick to the St. Paddy's Day spelling.

In many ways, contemporary St. Patrick's Day celebrations have strayed far from their roots. The widespread, beer-induced chaos ensues in cities across the country on March 17, "Kiss Me I'm Irish" gear and leprechaun-everything decor are all popular ways of marking this holiday.

The spelling of St. Paddy's Day as St. Patty's Day is less of an evolution of the celebration and more of a straight-up misspelling. However you choose to celebrate (or not celebrate), the least you can do is spell the saint's name correctly.

Spelling out 'Saint' in place names / pronunciation

another question about place names. It is about the word 'Saint' that figures in many place names (Bury St Edmunds, St Albans, St Helens. ). Are these names ever spelt out in full (Bury Saint Edmunds etc) or is it considered wrong to do so? Would this affect the pronunciation?

Thank you for helping!

Egmont

Senior Member

I see "Saint Paul" (Minnesota, U.S.) spelled out fairly often, perhaps because it's such a short name. There may be others, but I can't think of any right now. Even "Saint Louis" (Missouri, U.S.), which is only one narrow letter longer, looks odd spelled out.

Either way, it does not affect the pronunciation.

natkretep

Moderato con anima (English Only)

In BrE, there is a reduced pronunciation, and generally St (if it means 'saint' rather than 'street', of course)* receives this reduced pronunciation - for more on this, see saint/Saint- pronunciation

'St', as mentioned above, is typically given the unstressed pronunciation in BrE.

*I mention this because my old sat nav did not know this and read out 'St Andrew' as 'Street Andrew'.

JulianStuart

Senior Member

In the UK, the place name is the place name - if it has an apostrophe, use it, if they spell out Saint, do that - otherwise don't (in other words, don't change it!)

perpend

Banned

Rose (Betty White's character from Golden Girls) is from St. Olaf.

I don't see any difference in pronunciation between St. and Saint. It's just an abbreviation for me (St.).

Andygc

Senior Member

Panceltic, as you have quoted British place names, follow natkretep's and JulianStuart's advice. However, some do not have the unstressed pronunciation - St Andrews and St James Park come to mind.

perpend

Banned

What is the difference between the stressed and unstressed versions in British English Andy?

I don't speak "IPA", unfortunately. Can you give a phonetic comparison?

natkretep

Moderato con anima (English Only)

The school that I went to is called St John's. We said sn johns. My sons went to St Andrew's school. I say snt andrews. In other words, no full vowel - in my case, just a syllabic /n/. Others might insert uh or / ə / - hence suhn johns, suhnt andrews. I pronounce the /t/ in St Andrew's because the next sound is a vowel. And these would be the ways I pronounce St John's (in Newfoundland, Canada) and St Andrews (in Scotland) as well.

suzi br

Senior Member

@ perpend, If saint is usually said with a long vowel: say-nt the other version had a very short vowel, almost no sound between the consonant elements. Perhaps a bit like the short u in hunt. Bury sunt Edmonds.

suzi br

Senior Member

natkretep

Moderato con anima (English Only)

I use that pronunciation for the personal name (as in St John Rivers in Jane Eyre), but not for place names or names of schools or churches.

perpend

Banned

This sounds very different between BE and AE.

With "Saint Louis, MO", you could instead of "Saint Lewis", get away with "San Lewie". This is hard to explain. I don't think it translates, and it's place-name specific, in addition to regional. Me such a downer.

By the way, thanks for the elucidation, BE speakers.

rhitagawr

Senior Member

dreamlike

Senior Member

Every single pronunciation dictionary I checked with gives /snt/, as suggested by Rhitagawr, as a pronunciation of the abbrevation 'St'.

natkretep

Moderato con anima (English Only)

In the song 'Meet me in St Louis', I hear saint loo-ee - the full form of 'saint', but without the /s/ in Louis​.

perpend

Banned

I don't know. The more I read it, it does sound like maybe certain Canadians and some New-Englanders in the USA, and some Australians et. al. would say things indicated in this thread (the variations of "Saint/St.).

@natkretep, #15. I've heard that version too. It's somehow a different case since a French influence comes into the English for Saint/St. Louis., at times.

On the news in the USA, the newscasters would use the "Saint Lewis" version, for what it's worth.

The other versions would be considered slang.

How to spell st

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The more spectacular the display, the higher the chances of attracting a mate. It is believed that the evolution of these extraordinary mating rituals is closely linked to the sexual selection process. Another magical aspect of birds of paradise is their ability to mimic other sounds. Some species can imitate the sounds of other birds or even natural elements like waterfalls or snapping twigs. This talent helps them communicate and establish their territory. The enchanting appearance and behaviors of birds of paradise have made them popular subjects for scientific research and also a symbol of beauty and mystique. They have inspired artists, writers, and photographers, who strive to capture their magical essence. Unfortunately, the survival of these magnificent birds is threatened due to deforestation and habitat loss. Conservation efforts are underway to protect their natural habitats and ensure their continued existence for future generations to admire their magic..

Reviews for "The Enchantment of Birds of Paradise Photography"

1. John - 1 out of 5 stars

I found "Birds of Paradise Magic" to be incredibly boring and lacking any substance. The plot seemed aimless and poorly constructed, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. The characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting, and their actions felt forced and unnatural. Overall, I was highly disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to anyone seeking a captivating and well-written novel.

2. Sarah - 2 out of 5 stars

While I appreciated the unique concept behind "Birds of Paradise Magic," I found the execution to be lackluster. The pacing was slow, and it took a long time for the story to gain any momentum. The descriptions were often excessive and overly flowery, making it hard to grasp the true essence of the narrative. Additionally, the dialogue felt stilted and forced, making it challenging to connect with the characters on any meaningful level. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied with this book.

3. Michael - 1 out of 5 stars

I couldn't bring myself to finish "Birds of Paradise Magic." The writing style was pretentious and convoluted, making it difficult to follow the narrative. The author seemed more interested in showcasing their vocabulary than telling a compelling story. The characters were unrelatable and lacked depth, and the lack of a clear plot made it hard to stay engaged. I found this book to be a tedious and frustrating read, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

4. Emily - 2 out of 5 stars

Although "Birds of Paradise Magic" had an intriguing premise, the execution fell short. The story felt disjointed, with random plot points that didn't seem to contribute to the overall narrative. The pacing was inconsistent, with long periods of stagnation followed by sudden bursts of rushed action. The characters lacked development and their motivations were unclear. Overall, this book left me feeling confused and unsatisfied, unable to fully appreciate its potential.

The Lesser-Known Species of Birds of Paradise: Hidden Gems in the Rainforest