Bretrick
Well-known Member
- Location
- Perth Western Australia
I mean to say, it is spelt Arkansas. Why is it not pronounced Arkansass?
Why is it pronounced Arkansaw?
- Thread starter Bretrick
- Start date
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
Same reason I suppose as a hamlet near me...is called Aultwick.....but if you ask for directions to Aultwick from a local, they won't know where you mean, because it's pronounced Artic... 
jujube
SF VIP
If Arkansas is Arkansaw, then why isn't Kansas Kansaw?
Why is Worchester pronounced Wooster?
For that matter, why is Colonel pronounced Kernel?
Why is Worchester pronounced Wooster?
For that matter, why is Colonel pronounced Kernel?
Bretrick
Well-known Member
- Location
- Perth Western Australia
The English language is a conundrum for sure.
Dr. Jekyll
Member
- Location
- Florida
In Georgia we had Albany - pronounced All-Benny
Aunt Mavis
I have met the enemy and he is us. Pogo
Sequim is a town in Wa. So is Puyallup and Snoqualmie. It’s entertaining listening to outsiders pronounce them.
George1959
Senior Member
This is even in Germany. A small market town in Bavaria is "Burgebrach".
Markt Burgebrach
Burg means castle and Ebrach is a little river which runs through the town. Thus you must speak the name with two seperate words, stress the E in Ebrach and a break in between.
But a stranger who came there shortly after WW2 told us that he didn't know this and asked the conductor at the railway station for Burgebrach (in one word, not stressing the E and no break). The conductor didn't know what he meant, although the town was only some miles away. Then the visitor noticed the timetable with the name of the town. The conductor told him that he didn't understand it, since he did not speak it the correct way. But for the visitor it was very important since he came as a released prisoner of war who found out that his wife was living there.
Only some years ago exactly the same happened to a radio announcer in Bavaria(!) who pronounced it the wrong way. I phoned the radio station and told them how it is pronounced correctly.
Markt Burgebrach
Burg means castle and Ebrach is a little river which runs through the town. Thus you must speak the name with two seperate words, stress the E in Ebrach and a break in between.
But a stranger who came there shortly after WW2 told us that he didn't know this and asked the conductor at the railway station for Burgebrach (in one word, not stressing the E and no break). The conductor didn't know what he meant, although the town was only some miles away. Then the visitor noticed the timetable with the name of the town. The conductor told him that he didn't understand it, since he did not speak it the correct way. But for the visitor it was very important since he came as a released prisoner of war who found out that his wife was living there.
Only some years ago exactly the same happened to a radio announcer in Bavaria(!) who pronounced it the wrong way
. I phoned the radio station and told them how it is pronounced correctly.
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David777
Senior Member
- Location
- Silicon Valley
Because , Arkan-saw Tex-as and Kan-sas, while they were skinny dipping in the Mississippi river and Tennesee'd them too.
, Arkan-saw Tex-as and Kan-sas, while they were skinny dipping in the Mississippi river and Tennesee'd them too.
There is a river also called Arkansas, which is apparently pronounced ArkanSAS (not SAW) in most (though not all) of the areas it flows through.
My guess re the pronunciation of Arkansas state is that it comes originally from either French early settlers or from local native Americans. These seem the most likely sources
Mobilman44
Member
It is pronounced ARKENSAW for the same reason the "land of Lincoln" is pronounced ILLINOY.
And Louisville is pronounced LOUIEVILLE. And Joliet is pronounced JOLYYET.
I lived in the above places and it always bugged me how people and some family members would butcher them.
And Louisville is pronounced LOUIEVILLE. And Joliet is pronounced JOLYYET.
I lived in the above places and it always bugged me how people and some family members would butcher them.
PeppermintPatty
đź”· đź’ś đź”·
Cause our English language has never made sense. While using my karaoke app, I couldn’t help noticing singers pronouncing words wrong. Having OCD, it tended to bother me a tad. Then I realized these were great singers. Singers who had learned English as a second, third or fourth language. English has no consistency. Many words are pronounced a certain way. Words that should rhyme, don’t.
Now I have a newfound appreciation of those learning a new language.
Mobilman44
Member
Okay, I have an English language experience I endured my last few years working. I gathered data and explanations from our offices all over - mostly the UK, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Italy, and France. All of my contacts spoke to me in "English".
What I learned was those folks from countries where the native tongue is NOT English, spoke very correct and understandable (TO ME) English. They had all learned it as a second language. BUT, more than a few times the meanings of their words were not quite the meaning of the same words of folks whose native language is English.
On the other hand, I found I had to struggle at times to understand the English spoken by my UK, Canadian, and Australian counterparts.
What I learned was those folks from countries where the native tongue is NOT English, spoke very correct and understandable (TO ME) English. They had all learned it as a second language. BUT, more than a few times the meanings of their words were not quite the meaning of the same words of folks whose native language is English.
On the other hand, I found I had to struggle at times to understand the English spoken by my UK, Canadian, and Australian counterparts.