Ar - Kansas or Arkansas River??? (Wichita, El Dorado: live, stations, cities)

[drjones96]

OK I've got a question for the native Kansans. On many occasions I've heard the locals refer to the Arkansas river as the Ar - Kansas river. Can anybody explain to me why this is? Is this like a local joke or something? I'd really like to know.

[j_k_k]

That's the way I've always heard the river pronounced in Kansas. I think some also pronounce the state that way, but not as universally as the river. As for Arkansas City, it would be pronounced like the river, except that everyone says 'Ark City'.

[Sco]

I was only there for a brief time, but I noticed the same thing. I assumed it was some kind of tongue in cheek joke, it is obvious that the correct pronunciation is Arkansaw like the state name with the same spelling.

I noticed a couple other weird pronunciation quirks that I don't think were jokes but the result of some weird bumpkin provincialism:

Greenwich as Green-Witch
El Dorado as El Do RAY do - It made me LOL the first time I heard it, it was kinda cute to witness people using Spanish words in such a white Midwestern style.

[quesera]

Someone from one of the news stations in Wichita, many years ago, stated it is pronounced ar-KAN-sas River, simply because that stretch is located in Kansas. No other reason. Kinda dopey, if ya ask me.

[Hueffenhardt]

As someone who lives on the Arkansas River in Hutch, KS, but has not lived here all my life, I can say quite confidently that it is pronounced as Ar-Kansas River, not like the state of Arkansaw (sp). It is just one of those things. You know, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".

I am of the opinion that we should pronounce geographic locations like the locals do. Who are outsiders to tell locals that they are pronouncing their own rivers or cities incorrectly?

[Sco]

Originally Posted by Hueffenhardt

As someone who lives on the Arkansas River in Hutch, KS, but has not lived here all my life, I can say quite confidently that it is pronounced as Ar-Kansas River, not like the state of Arkansaw (sp). It is just one of those things. You know, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".

I am of the opinion that we should pronounce geographic locations like the locals do. Who are outsiders to tell locals that they are pronouncing their own rivers or cities incorrectly?

It is stupid to change the name of a river as it passes through different states due to some weird state pride arrogance. I can guarantee you that the people in Colorado, Oklahoma and especially Arkansas, do not call it the Ar-Kansas river. Can you imagine if every state did this, we would have stuff like the Miss-Iowa or Miss-Minnesota Rivers. How about the Kan-Missouri River, not to be confused with the Misso-Montana.

[mostly c's]

I think it a controversy over over the correct way that Native Americans pronunced the word, there is also two ways to pronunce Miami, in OKlahoma they my-am-mah

[athfo]

Originally Posted by mostly c's

I think it a controversy over over the correct way that Native Americans pronunced the word, there is also two ways to pronunce Miami, in OKlahoma they my-am-mah

Exactly. I was just about to post this example.

[quesera]

Originally Posted by Sco

It is stupid to change the name of a river as it passes through different states due to some weird state pride arrogance. I can guarantee you that the people in Colorado, Oklahoma and especially Arkansas, do not call it the Ar-Kansas river. Can you imagine if every state did this, we would have stuff like the Miss-Iowa or Miss-Minnesota Rivers. How about the Kan-Missouri River, not to be confused with the Misso-Montana.

...But, Sco, they're not changing the spelling of the word, just the pronunciation. Your examples are silly, at best.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by Sco

El Dorado as El Do RAY do - It made me LOL the first time I heard it, it was kinda cute to witness people using Spanish words in such a white Midwestern style.

That's common in the West. I could cite numerous examples.

I've always pronounced the river 'are-kansas' since my days growing up near it in Hutch, and always will. Residents of other states can pronounce it however they want.