Proper Pronunciation of "Colorado" (Pueblo, Limon: to work, small towns, sewer)

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Neutre

In Spanish the -d- in Colorado either sounds like -th- in mother or is dropped.

So it's either kolorátho or koloráo.

That depends on the dialect of Spanish. Most people assume that Hispanics in Colorado and northern New Mexico speak typical "Mexican" Spanish, when, in fact, most Colorado Hispanics, especially those in the heavily Hispanic southern half of Colorado, speak a variation of Castilian Spanish. The area was isolated from Mexico for so long that the language evolved quite differently than modern Spanish.

Two good references here:

http://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Langua...d=FE7PKKD8SIUE

http://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Mex...lorado+spanish

[Prodigal Native]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Learn something new everyday, eh?

Apparently now I need to learn how to type "it is" instead of "is is".

I'm telling you, it never ends...

[CAVA1990]

I'm guessing that 30 years ago in the days before CNN "rad" would have been winning hands down. Heavier exposure to East Coast media types has likely caused greater adapation of the "rod" pronunciation, in many cases sub-consciously.

[Ming Ming]

Colo ROD o

[rushhournewb]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Based on the results of the poll there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus on what the correct pronunciation is. There's often no rhyme or reason to it. Why is the Arkansas river pronounced like Kansas rather than same as the state of Arkansas? Just is.

No it's not. What a ridiculous statement.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by rushhournewb

No it's not. What a ridiculous statement.

You grow up in Southern CO or Kansas? That's how they pronounce it. In La Junta for example that's the normal way. But apparently elsewhere it's not.

[rushhournewb]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

You grow up in Southern CO or Kansas? That's how they pronounce it. In La Junta for example that's the normal way. But apparently elsewhere it's not.

Neither. I grew up in the Colorado Springs-Denver area. I've never heard the Arkansas River pronounced "Ar-Kansas". Never. To council someone that that's the proper pronunciation would be doing them a disservice. Hopefully the natives down there say "La-hun-ta".

I had a neighbor from Texas (who, incredibly, has moved back to Houston from here--job opportunity). Anyway, I schooled him on local names:

His "La-fy-yette" (accent on the second syllable) corrected to La-fee-ett.
His "Lou-uh-ville" corrected to Louis-ville.
His "Co-lo-rah-do", well that was a tough one but he finally started pronouncing it correctly.
His "Hwer-fan-o" (accent on the second syllable) corrected to Huer-fano, accent on the first syllable.
His "Berthoud", well that was just too painful to say here but finally he caught on.

And so it goes.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by rushhournewb

Neither. I grew up in the Colorado Springs-Denver area. I've never heard the Arkansas River pronounced "Ar-Kansas". Never. To council someone that that's the proper pronunciation would be doing them a disservice. Hopefully the natives down there say "La-hun-ta"..

I didn't mean to imply everyone pronounces it that way. In fact there's an Arkansas state law that mandates it be pronounced as you do. It's a regional thing same as the Fluh-ree-duh pronunciation I mentioned in an earlier post for the Florida River. Those mid-westerners love to mangle things. How about Cay-roh (Cairo) or Mar-sales (Marseilles) , IL?

[mrspabb]

Here in So Cal we just pronounce everything "duuuuuude." Simplifies everything.

[rushhournewb]

Originally Posted by mrspabb

Here in So Cal we just pronounce everything "duuuuuude." Simplifies everything.

I heard a SoCal speaker's enunciation once describe as "doing strange California things with his vowels."