Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
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

Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 07-04-2020, 07:05 AM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,105 times
Reputation: 2305

Advertisements

How DO You Pronounce That Big West Coast State??

California..

'KAL-ih-FORN-YUH',

'KAL-ih-FOR-KNEE-UH' (like the ship Lusitan-i-a)

or some other?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-04-2020, 07:35 AM
 
14,340 posts, read 11,738,230 times
Reputation: 39217
It's four syllables, not five. Option one.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 08:47 AM
 
Location: NC
9,364 posts, read 14,134,458 times
Reputation: 20920
cal / ih/ FOR/ nyuh
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 10:31 AM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,105 times
Reputation: 2305
Listen carefully in the beginning:


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MfwZa5rRRNQ&t=04s

It sounds like Jack Webb's character pronounces California as per the second poll option.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 11:22 AM
 
14,340 posts, read 11,738,230 times
Reputation: 39217
You can never go by the way an actor pronounced a word in a film 50 years ago. There are all kinds of reasons that his pronunciation may not be accurate.

You had the right idea, asking locals what they say today.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 01:03 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,105 times
Reputation: 2305
Quote:
Originally Posted by saibot View Post
You can never go by the way an actor pronounced a word
in a film 50 years ago. There are all kinds of reasons that his
pronunciation may not be accurate.

You had the right idea, asking locals what they say today.

Hmmm... But what if Webbs, among others, pronunciation of California was the correct way?

The Lusitania was a popular British liner torpedoed during WWI. Do people pronounce her as five syllables - or four?

Loo-sih-TAIN-ee-yuh, VS "Loo-sih-TAIN-yuh".

It's a subtle difference for sure, in the cases of both the ship and of the state.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 03:11 PM
 
2,209 posts, read 1,788,114 times
Reputation: 2649
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrandK-Man View Post
How DO You Pronounce That Big West Coast State??

California..

'KAL-ih-FORN-YUH',

'KAL-ih-FOR-KNEE-UH' (like the ship Lusitan-i-a)

or some other?

California

How many syllables in California?

4 syllablesDivide California into syllables: Cal-i-for-nia
How to pronounce California: Ka-li-for-n-ya


https://www.howmanysyllables.com/words/california
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 03:57 PM
 
14,340 posts, read 11,738,230 times
Reputation: 39217
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrandK-Man View Post
Hmmm... But what if Webbs, among others, pronunciation of California was the correct way?
The correct way to say a place name is the way the locals say the name. Period, end of sentence. Even if the name comes from another language and is pronounced differently in that language, or if there is another location with the same name which is pronounced differently in that other area (cf. Houston, Cairo).

Quote:
The Lusitania was a popular British liner torpedoed during WWI. Do people pronounce her as five syllables - or four?

Loo-sih-TAIN-ee-yuh, VS "Loo-sih-TAIN-yuh".

It's a subtle difference for sure, in the cases of both the ship and of the state.
I would say Lusitania with five syllables, but to be honest, I am not really sure I have heard anyone say this name and so I am just assuming.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 08:41 PM
 
Location: Removing a snake out of the neighbor's washing machine
3,095 posts, read 2,045,105 times
Reputation: 2305
Quote:
Originally Posted by saibot View Post
The correct way to say a place name is the way the locals
say the name. Period, end of sentence. Even if the name
comes from another language and is pronounced differently
in that language, or if there is another location with the same
name which is pronounced differently in that other area
(cf. Houston, Cairo).



I would say Lusitania with five syllables, but to be honest, I am
not really sure I have heard anyone say this name and so I am
just assuming.
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,)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2020, 09:34 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,970,598 times
Reputation: 17695
Any way but Cali.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2022 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California
View detailed profiles of:

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top