Why is it pronounced Arkansaw?

Mobilman44 said:
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.
Click to expand...
..because they were speaking in their local dialects.

When I was learning Spanish in Spain..I was told that the little village where we lived had a very strong dialect , and if I learned the street Spanish I wouldn't be understood in the rest of Spain... whereas if I learned Classroom Spanish, it would be like learning BBC English.. ''Received Pronunciation''.. in the event I learned a mix of both...
 
OK, I've lived in Arkansas for 7 years now. Nice place to live, though I never expected to wind up here.

The really funny part is while the state name is written "Arkansas" and pronounced "ArkanSAW", the people who live in Arkansas are called "Arkansans" - with both "s's" pronounced.
 
jujube said:
If Arkansas is Arkansaw, then why isn't Kansas Kansaw? Why is Worchester pronounced Wooster? For that matter, why is Colonel pronounced Kernel?
Click to expand...
Because the orthography used in the English-speaking world is a very poor representation of the spoken language, it violates the rules of alphabetic spelling, which are about three thousand years old.
 
Mobilman44 said:
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.
Click to expand...
This is why it's so important for the BBC to stick to correct English. Many people use the BBC to learn the language. It really annoys me when they get sloppy, because they are passing on mistakes.
 
hollydolly said:
in the UK Worcester, which the Sauce is named after is pronounced Wooster
Click to expand...
Lots of em couldn't read or write it. (Arkansas / Kansas) You know Cunningham instead of Smart Ass.
_______________________________
Lots of em get off the boat, know how to rent an apartment, spend the cash, count the money and buy the Car.

It's like "Limey" British Sailer or whomever from there. Irish from Ireland. Thas cool. Speak o the Duetsche.

A Missouri town named Eolia. 70 years ago one guy put an awning on the front of his business, time passed every business around that square had an awning over the sidewalks. (spirit of the Winds), (My Gal Sal), many words same spelling different meanings. The beautiful language.

know what I'm saying and your mama !
 
Last edited:
papa tiger said:
Lots of em couldn't read or write it. (Arkansas / Kansas) You know Cunningham instead of Smart Ass.
_______________________________
Lots of em get off the boat, know how to rent an apartment, spend the cash, count the money and buy the Car.

It's like "Limey" British Sailer or whomever from there. Irish from Ireland. Thas cool. Speak o the Duetsche.

A Missouri town named Eolia. 70 years ago one guy put an awning on the front of his business, time passed every business around that square had an awning over the sidewalks. (spirit of the Winds), (My Gal Sal), many words same spelling different meanings. The beautiful language.

know what I'm saying and your mama !
Click to expand...
That would be British Sailor..... :sneaky::ROFLMAO:
 
I grew up in PIttsburgh, PA. I believe Pittsburgh is the only "burg" in the U.S. that's spelled with an "h" on the end. But Edinburgh in Scotland is pronounced "ed-in-burr-ah", so why isn't Pittsburgh pronounced "pitts-burr-ah"??..😁

There are a number of strange pronunciations here locally. There's a major street named DeBuys. Local pronunciation? Dah-BEES.

A town north of here is named Kiln. Local pronunciation? "Kill". Or, stranger yet, "The Kill".

And to the west is New Orleans. Northerners pronounce it, "New Or-LEENs". Locals pronounce it, "New AHlins", or even "Nawlins".
 
ChiroDoc said:
I grew up in PIttsburgh, PA. I believe Pittsburgh is the only "burg" in the U.S. that's spelled with an "h" on the end. But Edinburgh in Scotland is pronounced "ed-in-burr-ah", so why isn't Pittsburgh pronounced "pitts-burr-ah"??..😁

There are a number of strange pronunciations here locally. There's a major street named DeBuys. Local pronunciation? Dah-BEES.

A town north of here is named Kiln. Local pronunciation? "Kill". Or, stranger yet, "The Kill".

And to the west is New Orleans. Northerners pronounce it, "New Or-LEENs". Locals pronounce it, "New AHlins", or even "Nawlins".
Click to expand...
you have a very good point... but almost all American who come to the UK will pronunce Edinburgh.. with a hard G like Pittsburgh.. and perhaps that where they've learned it.. but as you so rightly say Edinburgh..is pronounced Edin ..burr-ah
 
The old song O Shenandoah ends with the line "Across the wide Missouri." Or maybe it's "Across the wide Missourah." It's sung both ways.
 
In biblical times the dove saw the ark while floating around the US
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top