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I'd agree with #3, Thomas R., it would depend on the conversation. For me, whether conversation with a grandmother or grandchild, pecans from the store or from my backyard, whether in a pie or in a bag. And whether or not said pecan was worth the effort.
Born, reared and raised in and around Texas to others born and reared the same. My typical usage was be something like peh kahn.
Everyone that I've heard say pee-can was from Georgia.
You mention something of my own personal experience, WBNOLA. That is, most Southerners who use "pee-can" (or some derivitive of the same) are close to the Atlantic (Georgia and Carolinas). The dividing line within the region (broadly speaking) seems to be somewhere around the Alabama/Georgia border! LOL
Kinda funny in its own right, since the two largest pecan producing states are Texas and Georgia...but yet natives have such a broad difference in how to refer to them! LOL
Actually, the proper way to pronounce it is ....expensive!!!! I love em, but haven't bought any in years. Long ago a neighbor of mine moved from Central Fl up to Northern Fl and she would bring me grocery bags full of unshelled from right off her property...what a treat. You see a lot of pecan trees when you get up around the FL, GA border and especially up US19 in Southern GA.
Actually, the proper way to pronounce it is ....expensive!!!! I love em, but haven't bought any in years. Long ago a neighbor of mine moved from Central Fl up to Northern Fl and she would bring me grocery bags full of unshelled from right off her property...what a treat. You see a lot of pecan trees when you get up around the FL, GA border and especially up US19 in Southern GA.
Yeah; we have lots of pecan trees here in Texas. I have like two just next to my house. We use to go over there and pick pecans.
Definitely "puh-Kahn" = rhymes with the actor James Caan's last name. (Okies, Arkies, and Texans won't have it any other way!)
When I lived on the West and East Coast I heard "pee-can" a few times.....nails on a chalkboard! I've also heard it used the wrong way in Midwestern states too, ugh.
The worst is when I hear a Yankee pronounce it on national television...like on the talk shows last week, all the talk about "pee-can" pie. Just plain sacrilege to desecrate the Lord's finest dessert like that.
Please folks, pronounce this word p e c a n properly as "puh-Kahn" and you have my word that I will work on cleaning up my grammar and diminishing my Okie twang/Southern accent.
Actually, this Texan pronounces it both ways and I've heard many other southerners pronounce it numerous ways, as well.
I don't know, it seems like when I'm talking about the pie, I say "PEE-can", but when I'm talking about the tree or the nut itself, "puh-KAHN" sounds more right.
I was eating at a cafeteria type restaurant in a suburb of Atlanta, the cashier asked what I had, I told her puh-kahn pie, I had to tell her twice cause she didnt understand, then I finally said pee-can and she got it.
I think New Mexico is actually third in pecan production behind Texas and Georgia.
Northwest here, and I say peh-CAWN. Most people I hear say it pronounce it either that way or pee-CAWN.
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(Okies, Arkies, and Texans won't have it any other way!)
I've also heard it used the wrong way in Midwestern states too, ugh.
