Americans & Scots Know

Squirrel Girl was created by Will Murray and Steve Ditko for an American anthology comic book, before being picked up by Dan Slott for Great Lakes Avengers, made a nanny of Like Cage and Jessica Jones’ daughter in Avengers, before spinning off her own title, graphic novels and fanbase. But until – well possibly today, depending – most English residents did not realise that her name is intended to rhyme. And not just her secret identity, Doreen Green, named after comic book store employee Doreen Greeley. But the actual words “Squirrel Girl”.

Because in American English, Squirrel Girl is pronounced “Skwurl Gurl”. In English English, it is pronounced “Skwirrel Gurl”. I know, we are all learning something today, are we not?

Because also, in Scots English (or Scots) it can be pronounced “Skwurr-ell Gurr-ell” depending on the region. So the two words still rhyme together, but in the other direction. Also, anyone who does pronounce it in such a fashion, may not appreciate being called upon by Sassenachs to do so again, they have already had it up to here being asked to say “a purple Curly-Wurly was found at the scene of the murder” five times already today. It gets a bit much.

Dan Slott, I know you couldn’t make a Spider-Man/Doctor Who crossover work, but how about a Squirrel Girl/Doctor Who crossover? If only to get Peter Capaldi, Sylvester McCoy or Ncuti Gatwa‘s Doctor to say her name? What about Amy Pond?

Milana Vayntrub was to star as Squirrel Girl in the live-action Marvel’s New Warriors TV show, however, this series was cancelled before production. But with Disney+ sniffing around, it can only be a matter of time. Say, maybe they should cast someone Scottish for that? Get Steven Moffat to showrun, he’s free at the moment.