Charlestown, RI pronunciation

[1979cordoba]

It's really funny some times about facts, i lived in westerly for 43 years, i think i can count on my hands the times i heard it called charles-town, not to say it can't be called that but let's put some context to it, is it called charles-town beach road, no it's called charleston beach road, is it called charles-town breachway or charleston breachway, again the second,would someone say charles-town pizza or charleston pizza, seems to me again the second choice. the english language is full of not pronouncing words the way they are spelled,it seems to me now i think of it charles-town sounds like 2 words, charleston does not.at least to me

[dreamer55]

We had a family get together yesterday and I took a poll on your question. All 14 of us ranging from age 19 to 87 were born and raised in Rhode Island. We all say "Charles-ton". (My husband's family was born and raised in Kingston, and they all say "Charles-ton" also). More than likely the pronunciation has to do with the Rhode Island 'lazy' tongue! I’m in my mid-50’s and to this day I hesitate when I write “Charlestown, and North or South Kingstown because I instinctively want to eliminate the “w”. Also, I totally agree with 1979cordoba. “Charles-town” sounds like two words, “Charles-ton” sounds like one.Speaking of town names, how about “Coventry”. I have friends who pronounce it “Cuv-in-tree”. They state that their enunciation is correct, as that is how the British pronounce it.

[terrasurf]

But- being from James-town we would never say Jameston- ever.

[terrasurf]

So-maybe the swamp yankees in the

[terrasurf]

south, were thinking of the real South, and that's why they named these places like Richmond, Charleston, or even Wyoming. How did we get a Wyoming, RI anyway?

[personalensign79]

Originally Posted by terrasurf

south, were thinking of the real South, and that's why they named these places like Richmond, Charleston, or even Wyoming. How did we get a Wyoming, RI anyway?

I don't know and that is exactly where I grew up. I only found what was on Wikipedia about it...interesting. Wyoming, Rhode Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And I say COV entry.

[athousandlogins]

I say it "Charles-town" but so really fast that it comes out sounding like "Charles-ton," if that makes any sense. Grew up in Narragansett, lived in Charlestown for one year when I was a teenager.