The American people have for 76 years now celebrated the first Friday in June as a day on which to consume fried rings of dough caked in sugar, icing, sprinkles, coconut and other delicious toppings. (or plain, if you like to keep it Old Fashioned).
But the controversy over what to call these unquestionably glorious baked goods has only grown more heated with time.
The Official Dictionary Spelling of the word in question—if you’re into that sort of thing—is “doughnut.” The expedited, simplified, Americanized spelling of “donut,” as Grammarist tells us, has been around since at least the late 19th century. It didn’t catch on, though, until late in the 20th century.
Why? That’s when Massachusetts-based chain Dunkin’ Donuts first started taking off — so thank (or blame) Dunkin’ for the popularity of the “Donut” spelling.
The shortened—dare I say, optimized—spelling, “donut,” is no longer limited to Uncle Sam’s back yard, either. Grammarist finds examples of its use as far away as New Zealand and, *gasp,* the hallowed shores of the UK, guardian of the English language.
From the UK Independent: “Was it because the blog outed their favorite little-known coffee and donut shack, bringing hordes of unwanted tourists to their undercover hangout?”
Whether you’re on #TeamDonut or #TeamDoughnut, let MONEY show you how to get your hands on a free delicious pastry snack this National Do(ugh)nut Day.
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