Local Pronunciation (Dubuque, Madrid, Tripoli: elementary school, live, vs.)

[duster1979]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I grew up in Burlington and always heard Keokuk as KEE-uh-kuck, more UH than OH.

That's actually correct, the "o" was a typo.

Although I don't know that KEE-oh-kuck is really wrong, it's just not how people say it. Maybe it's supposed to be "oh" but comes out as "uh" in the typical lazy Midwestern vernacular.

[NLDad]

I agree with everyone, and would add that eye-oh-wah, sometimes gets slurred to almost "eye-wah."

Oh and let's add Sigourney (SIG-er-nee)

and I always liked "What Cheer" for a town name which I usually hear more as "WUH-cheer"

[duster1979]

Originally Posted by NLDad

and I always liked "What Cheer" for a town name which I usually hear more as "WUH-cheer"

I have friends who retired here from Keokuk County, they usually say "WAH-chur". One of them plays guitar, every once in awhile he'd talk about plaing at the "Watcher Opera House." Took me years to figure out he was talking about the What Cheer Opera House.

[steel03]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I grew up in Burlington and always heard Keokuk as KEE-uh-kuck, more UH than OH.

You're both referring to the same vowel sound, the schwa (written /ə/ in IPA). English pronunciation is such that any vowel can be pronounced as a schwa. So you're both right.

Keokuk is pronounced /'kiəkʊk/
Des Moines is /də 'mɔɪn/
Iowa City is /'aɪəwə 'sɪdi/

[burrrrr]

Originally Posted by Meemur

I had to learn that. Fortunately, I heard it on the weather and didn't embarrass myself in public.

Worst I've heard for D-M so far is "Dess MO-IN-s" from a South American.

That's not that bad. A lot of cities DO pronounce it that way. The correct way to say Des Plaines, IL is DeS PlaynS.

[ElleTea]

I once heard someone say "Dee-suh Moy-nez"

Yes, really.

[atler8]

And I cannot forget the many times I heard Dez Moinz.
When I lived near Chicago I heard that pronunciation often because they had a suburb called Des Plaines on the northwest side that they pronounced as Dez Plainz.
I'd like to think that Des Moines is a bit better known by now such that that glaring error is not common anymore, especially in a neighboring state such as Illinois.

[duster1979]

Originally Posted by atler8

And I cannot forget the many times I heard Dez Moinz.
When I lived near Chicago I heard that pronunciation often because they had a suburb called Des Plaines on the northwest side that they pronounced as Dez Plainz.
I'd like to think that Des Moines is a bit better known by now such that that glaring error is not common anymore, especially in a neighboring state such as Illinois.

I think I've heard it more since I've lived in Iowa than when I lived in Illinois

[Echohunter]

I pronounce Iowa as ...one kool place to live. .especially since global warming is dead and this summer has been awesome!! ..

[fezzador]

Originally Posted by atler8

And I cannot forget the many times I heard Dez Moinz.
When I lived near Chicago I heard that pronunciation often because they had a suburb called Des Plaines on the northwest side that they pronounced as Dez Plainz.
I'd like to think that Des Moines is a bit better known by now such that that glaring error is not common anymore, especially in a neighboring state such as Illinois.

Des Moines, Washington is a suburb of Seattle, and is pronounced "duh moinz" unlike in Iowa.