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Monday 25 November, 2024

What's with the 'S' that Irish people add to shop names?

See you in Tescos, yeah?

Artist's impression of how an Irish person sees the Tesco sign Mikey Mikey

WHEN YOU LOOK at this shop sign, what word do you see?

PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

What about this one?

PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Some people call it ‘Tescos’, some people call it ‘Tesco’. SOME people would even go as far as to call it ‘Lidls’.

Basically, there are differences of opinion.

Why do people pluralise shop names when there's no good reason to? Tescos, Aldis, Lidls, Supervalus etc...
— Ronan O'Flaherty (@ronanoflaherty) October 26, 2014

Ronan O'Flaherty / Twitter

There's a special circle in hell reserved for those who unnecessarily pluralise the names of supermarkets eg "Tescos", "Lidls"
— J Patrick Danaher (@jpdanaher) September 3, 2013

J Patrick Danaher / Twitter

Some people, in fact, get VERY exercised about it.

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Karen Bryan Karen Bryan

But that doesn’t stop people adding that ‘s’. No sir. No way.

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The pressure of packing your own bag at lidls when a whole queue of people are waiting for you is too much
— Jules (@Julesamundoo) October 9, 2014

Jules Hudsön / Twitter

Bedlam in Tescos as everyone purchasing booze for tomorrow. I got a case of #wine myself, just to have! #GoodFriday pic.twitter.com/CAXs532VDF
— Paul Dunphy Esquire. 🏳️‍🌈 (@pauldunphy) April 17, 2014

Paul Dunphy Esquire / Twitter

Even Panti is at it.

Tescos won't be able for the Hawaiian Tropic glamour I'll be serving in Aisle 3 in that kaftan.
— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) June 5, 2014

Panti Bliss / Twitter

In fact, it’s not even just Irish people. People across the UK are up to the same stuff.

So, where do you stand?

Poll Results:

I might say Tescos, but never Lidls (1212)

Never. It's not on the sign, is it ya dopes? (691)

Hmm, I'd could go either way (153)

I'd add the S to everything. Tescos, Lidls, Aldis, the works (142)

I'd add the S to everything. Tescos, Lidls, Aldis, the works
I might say Tescos, but never Lidls
Hmm, I'd could go either way
Never. It's not on the sign, is it ya dopes?

Any ideas where this comes from? Is it to do with the tradition of shops being named after their owners? Why do we keep doing it?

More: The 13 absolute best shop names in Ireland>

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Michael Freeman

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Lidl

lidls

pluralising shop names

shop names

Tesco

tescos

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What's with the 'S' that Irish people add to shop names?

WHEN YOU LOOK at this shop sign, what word do you see?

What about this one?

Some people call it ‘Tescos’, some people call it ‘Tesco’. SOME people would even go as far as to call it ‘Lidls’.

Basically, there are differences of opinion.

Some people, in fact, get VERY exercised about it.

Whoops!

We couldn't find this Tweet

But that doesn’t stop people adding that ‘s’. No sir. No way.

Whoops!

We couldn't find this Tweet

Even Panti is at it.

In fact, it’s not even just Irish people. People across the UK are up to the same stuff.

So, where do you stand?

Poll Results:

Any ideas where this comes from? Is it to do with the tradition of shops being named after their owners? Why do we keep doing it?

More: The 13 absolute best shop names in Ireland>