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07-15-2008, 03:31 PM
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Member
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Minnesota
70 posts, read 62,952 times
Reputation: 21
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Which is the proper way to say Missouri
Up here in South Central MN we were debating how to say Missouri.
A few swear that it is pronounced Missouraaaaah
and some that say no it is Missouriiiiiiii...
How do you guys pronounce it? Not that it is all that important but hubby says Missouriiiiii and it drives his boss nuts.  Boss says that is incorrect. |
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07-15-2008, 03:47 PM
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Sayer of true stuff
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: And I'm moving, yet again ... KC here I come
5,485 posts, read 4,385,942 times
Reputation: 981
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You should do a search of this forum because I know it's been debated here before, but the short answer is that there is no correct way to say it. It's regional.
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07-15-2008, 05:34 PM
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STL for Blues and Cards. I live in Southeast MO.
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southeast Missouri
4,013 posts, read 3,235,581 times
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Really there is no "correct" way to say it. But Missourah gets on my nerves honestly.
It seems like Missourah is generally rural and Missouri is more urban, but I live in a town of 400 and most people call it Missouri. You say Missourah around here most people will know you're not from here.
We've had debate about this before.
Grammatically, Missourah makes no sense. an :"I" doesn't usually make an "uh" sound.
I don't say it Missourah. That seems more southern and rural to me. Which sounds fine, but I try not to talk grammatically incorrect, which Missourah looks to be.
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Did you know the name "Missouri" is a Siouan Indian word? It comes from the tribal name Missouria, which means "big canoe people." The Missouri Indians were not the only native people of this region, however.
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http://www.native-languages.org/missouri.htm
Not sure if that helps or not, but if it was originally Missouria, it was probably Missoureeah, probably not Missourahah. Otherwise, why have the "i" in there since you already have the A?
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With no authentic guidance (see origin of "Missouri" above) a case can be made for any of the three pronounciations. Statistical studies have determined that more Missourians actually say "Mizzoori" than the other two variants. "Mizzoorah" is more common in rural central and northwestern Missouri (excluding Kansas City). Both city dwellers and Ozarkers seem to prefer the "i" ending, for differing reasons. "Miss-oori" seems to be an affectation of non-natives, tv and radio announcers, and teachers of eloclution, whose concept of the word comes from the written page and the rules of standard English, not an ear tuned in the cradle.
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http://members.socket.net/~joschaper/moname.htm
The Newsboys (band from Australia) came to Poplar Bluff. They asked how to say Missouri and some guy got up and said "Missourah" and everybody booed.
Last edited by STLCardsBlues1989; 07-15-2008 at 05:54 PM..
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07-15-2008, 10:10 PM
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demented & deranged optimist skeptic
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: MO Ozarkian in NE Hoosierana
4,171 posts, read 2,681,088 times
Reputation: 5540
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Missouri (as in Missouree).
Tain't no other way.
Class dismissed.
Thank you.
__________________
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
- Kurt Vonnegut
I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are,
But rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.
- Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe
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07-15-2008, 11:23 PM
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Thankful for so much:)
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Woods of Missouri with many Critters
22,865 posts, read 3,526,606 times
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'M I S S O U R I' is pronounced 'Missouri' (eeeeeeeeeeeee). Some politicians may say Missourah. Probably to garner votes from voters in certain counties of a more rural nature.  |
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07-16-2008, 09:46 AM
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Sayer of true stuff
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: And I'm moving, yet again ... KC here I come
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^^ When Jim Talent was running for senate he had two different versions of the same radio commercial. One that aired in St. Louis had him pronouncing it Missour-ee, another that aired in the Springfield and Mid-Mo area where he pronounced it Missour-ah!!
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07-16-2008, 11:29 AM
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demented & deranged optimist skeptic
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: MO Ozarkian in NE Hoosierana
4,171 posts, read 2,681,088 times
Reputation: 5540
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aragx6
^^ When Jim Talent was running for senate he had two different versions of the same radio commercial. One that aired in St. Louis had him pronouncing it Missour-ee, another that aired in the Springfield and Mid-Mo area where he pronounced it Missour-ah!!
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Just further proof that politicians have a forked tongue... 
__________________
I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.
- Kurt Vonnegut
I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are,
But rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.
- Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe
City Data Forum Terms of Service
City Data Forum FAQ
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07-16-2008, 11:32 AM
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Now you've gone and done it... Big mistake...
Status:
"I need to go shopping. 2" thick Porterhouse on my list."
(set 3 days ago)
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: In the land of Nodding
82,680 posts, read 5,343,606 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShadowCaver
Just further proof that politicians have a forked tongue... |
Now Shadow, he was just being bi-lingual.  |
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07-17-2008, 05:24 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Missouri
5 posts, read 3,511 times
Reputation: 10
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MO is all I Know.... soooo-
Missoureeeeeeeeeeeee!
Actually dat's how they teach us to spell it 2!
happy thoughts from all us here at the trailer pawk!
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07-18-2008, 09:41 AM
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Not a member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: St. Louis, MO
3,763 posts, read 2,912,162 times
Reputation: 660
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Rural Missourians are the only people who I've heard pronounce the state "Missourah." Urban Missourians and the rest of the nation pronounce it "Missouree." I honestly find it insulting when an outsider pronounces the state "Missourah"...for some reason it just doesn't seem proper, probably because they are doing it to make fun of us...I don't have a problem however when people that have lived in Missouri their whole life do it. But anyway, "Missourah" or "Missouri", doesn't really matter...just don't pronounce it "Missourye" please or I'll be forced to laugh at you |
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