Do you get mad at people who say "Or-a-gone?" (Yachats: friend, live)

[Rachael84]

I'm visiting my friend (who lives in Vancouver, WA) for the first time out west, and she gets reaalllyyy annoyed when I pronounce Oregon as "Or-a-gone." She said others there will get annoyed too, apparently lol. She said it's pronounced "Or-e-gen." So, do you guys over there really get mad if someone says it wrong? I don't purposely do it; I grew up hearing it that way. I don't know if it's a regional thing or country-wide thing!

[PNW-type-gal]

It's considered polite to pronounce something the way the person/locals pronounce it. Harsh corrections are also rude, but your friend is giving you good advice.

[Rachael84]

I'm going to try my best of course...I have a strong NY accent and even when I try to say things in another way, it's a bit difficult to actually think before I pronounce a word lol

[illinoisboy]

Thats kinda funny. I was out there this summer visiting my uncle. I told him I was liking Or-e-gon. But he snapped at me and told me it's pronounced Or-ee-gun. He also told me you don't prononounce Willamette, Willamette. you instead say it like Will-aa-met. with an xtra a. Everyone else pronounces Oregon Or-e-gin. Which is weird. There was a pretty funny movie on youtube about some girl who noticed the same thing. She also said people are ubsessed with their trees and trout out there, and how not to ever mention that your from Cali. ok i'll stop now

[Rachael84]

It's almost like how Worcester in Massachusetts isn't pronounced "Wor-chester" like you would think; it's said totally different: "Wuss-ter."

Maybe people will be more lenient with me out west there because I have a thick accent to begin with lol

[seashelly]

I admit it......I cringe.

[kpaq]

I hate it... Because even when you tell people that it's Or-uh-ghin, they just ignore it.

[Cornerguy1]

Originally Posted by Rachael84

I'm visiting my friend (who lives in Vancouver, WA) for the first time out west, and she gets reaalllyyy annoyed when I pronounce Oregon as "Or-a-gone." She said others there will get annoyed too, apparently lol. She said it's pronounced "Or-e-gen." So, do you guys over there really get mad if someone says it wrong? I don't purposely do it; I grew up hearing it that way. I don't know if it's a regional thing or country-wide thing!

They tends to a get a little testy about the pronounciation in some places; some will just cringe while others will correct you as though you've comitted a cardinal sin.

The pronounciation change takes place at about the Mississippi.

[haggardhouseelf]

I'm from Texas, studied French for several years... and so when I first said "Willamette" I pronounced it "Willam - ETTE" ... I thought it was a French sort of name because of the "ette" ending. I was corrected by a local/native Oregonian... "It's Will-LAMB-it" she said... not "Willam-ETTE"...

I think I say Oregon correctly... no one has stopped to correct me... I say "OR-uhgun"...

Also... Yachats is not pronounced like it reads...

You find a lot of this sort of thing in Washington state as well.

[Rachael84]

My friend said she's just glad I don't say "Warshington." I've never heard anyone say it like that.