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View Poll Results: How DO You Pronounce That Big West Coast State??
KAL-ih-FORN-YUH 25 89.29%
KAL-ih-FOR-KNEE-Uhh (like the ship Lusitania) 1 3.57%
Other? 2 7.14%
Voters: 28. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 07-04-2020, 09:39 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,878 times
Reputation: 2305

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fontucky View Post
Any way but Cali.
Isn't that how people from the other 49 states say it?
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Old 07-05-2020, 10:58 AM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,235 posts, read 108,093,971 times
Reputation: 116201
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrandK-Man View Post
1. Locals. I agree there. I pronounce IKEA like a Swede: 'ee-KAY-ah'
But I think the verdict is still out on Cal-i-forn-i-ayy - wait, that that's the BEACH BOYS,

2. Lusitania, her sister Mauretania, ditto five for me. As with most vintage Cunarders(Campa-ni-ah, I-ver-ni-ah, etc,)
That's not how it's pronounced, or used to be pronounced. It used to be spelled with a little circle over the "A", which makes it closer to an "O" sound. Maybe they changed the spelling, when they went international in a big way? Did Swedes suddenly start pronouncing it differently at that point? Does anyone in Sweden even remember? lol

& BTW, I was going to vote for "Cal-i-forn-eye-ay", but you beat me to it.


"Alta California", anyone?
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Old 07-05-2020, 01:02 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,878 times
Reputation: 2305
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
That's not how it's pronounced, or used to be pronounced.
It used to be spelled with a little circle over the "A", which
makes it closer to an "O" sound. Maybe they changed the
spelling, when they went international in a big way? Did
Swedes suddenly start pronouncing it differently at that
point? Does anyone in Sweden even remember? lol

& BTW, I was going to vote for "Cal-i-forn-eye-ay", but you
beat me to it.


"Alta California", anyone?
Re: IKEA - Are you suggesting "ee-KAY-Oh"?? Remember, there are two "o" symbols in vowel pronunciation - with quite different effect. Make sure you pick the correct one!

From the horses mouth by the way: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbc...1977421/%3famp



As for "Cal-i-forn-eye-ay", that was just a unique stylization used by the Beach Boys to fit the bars of their hit song "Surfin' USA'.
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:37 AM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,235 posts, read 108,093,971 times
Reputation: 116201
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrandK-Man View Post
Re: IKEA - Are you suggesting "ee-KAY-Oh"?? Remember, there are two "o" symbols in vowel pronunciation - with quite different effect. Make sure you pick the correct one!

From the horses mouth by the way: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbc...1977421/%3famp



As for "Cal-i-forn-eye-ay", that was just a unique stylization used by the Beach Boys to fit the bars of their hit song "Surfin' USA'.
I thought it was originally pronounced "ICK-eh-oh". (or "EEK-eh-oh")
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:45 AM
 
Location: San Diego CA
8,501 posts, read 6,916,225 times
Reputation: 17065
CAL AH FORN E AH. There I fixed it. Carry on.
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Old 07-06-2020, 03:03 PM
 
Location: Sierra Nevada Land, CA
9,455 posts, read 12,561,212 times
Reputation: 16453
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fontucky View Post
Any way but Cali.

On the other hand, if one plans to visit a certain city in Colombia then Cali is fine
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Old 07-06-2020, 03:10 PM
 
Location: Sierra Nevada Land, CA
9,455 posts, read 12,561,212 times
Reputation: 16453
Quote:
Originally Posted by msgsing View Post
CAL AH FORN E AH. There I fixed it. Carry on.
Cala for nia. Go soft on each section. Native CA person here. But granted native NorCal, not SoCal
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Old 07-06-2020, 03:18 PM
 
14,349 posts, read 11,747,643 times
Reputation: 39244
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr5150 View Post
Cala for nia. Go soft on each section. Native CA person here. But granted native NorCal, not SoCal
This is one word that I don't think has regional variation between northern and southern CA.
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Old 07-06-2020, 05:36 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,878 times
Reputation: 2305
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
I thought it was originally pronounced
"ICK-eh-oh". (or "EEK-eh-oh")
Open the link after 'horses mouth', and read how it is pronounced, there.
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Old 07-06-2020, 05:37 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,878 times
Reputation: 2305
Quote:
Originally Posted by msgsing View Post
CAL AH FORN E AH. There I fixed it. Carry on.

I'm estimating one out of four people pronounce it five-syllabically.
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