Local Pronunciation (Des Moines, Washington, Camanche: school, rated, studios)

[arr430]

Originally Posted by duster1979

Or Lebanon (LEB-nun).

Keokuk has the most variety of mis-pronunciations I've heard: KILL-kuck, KEER-kirk, Kee-OH-kuck, KEE-oh-kook, etc, etc. (KEE-oh-kuck is correct)

My dad, who was from Hannibal, always said Q-kirk

[arr430]

Also, Maquoketa -- ma-COKE-eta.

[arr430]

Iowa is one of the "southern states", where Buena Vista County is /BEW-na/. And Louisa County rhymes with "blue eyes-a"

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by arr430

Iowa is one of the "southern states", where Buena Vista County is /BEW-na/. And Louisa County rhymes with "blue eyes-a"

There's a BEW-na in the southern state of New Jersey.

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I have to say, I get annoyed at all of these little towns who take a word that is widely known to be said one way, but choose to say it another. Then the people there get annoyed when you say it wrong.

There is a small town in west central Illinois called Terre Haute. They pronounce it Terry Hut.

There is a town here in Arizona called Prescott and they pronounce it Press-kit. DUMB!

Much easier to say MaDrid, MosCOW, Press-cot, Terruh hoat, and not worry about it.

I agree, that's annoying. My favorite in Iowa is Buena Vista being pronounced Byuna Vista. It just sounds strange.

[SonySegaTendo617]

Originally Posted by NDak15

I agree, that's annoying. My favorite in Iowa is Buena Vista being pronounced Byuna Vista. It just sounds strange.

I think I once heard Buena Vista, VA is pronounced the same way? Though I'm not 100% sure, but I swear I once heard someone local in Virginia pronounce Buena Vista, VA(northwest of Lynchburg, VA) the same exact way.

I still remember all these years later my VERY big surprise. Anyway I was watching the local Atlanta TV news one day, and I was super surprised to learn DeKalb County(one Georgia county, east of Fulton County) is pronounced de-cab! Not surprised Iowa would have to have a few local towns, with weird pronounciations myself. And I remember once hearing the pronounciation that locals said for Cairo, Illinois, btw.

[EscAlaMike]

The Rodgers & Hammerstein musical State Fair pronounced it "Io-way"


I Owe Ioway

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by SonySegaTendo617

I think I once heard Buena Vista, VA is pronounced the same way? Though I'm not 100% sure, but I swear I once heard someone local in Virginia pronounce Buena Vista, VA(northwest of Lynchburg, VA) the same exact way.

I still remember all these years later my VERY big surprise. Anyway I was watching the local Atlanta TV news one day, and I was super surprised to learn DeKalb County(one Georgia county, east of Fulton County) is pronounced de-cab! Not surprised Iowa would have to have a few local towns, with weird pronounciations myself. And I remember once hearing the pronounciation that locals said for Cairo, Illinois, btw.

It seems like almost every state has wierd pronunciations but Iowa seems to have a particularly large number. Nevada and Madrid make me cringe as does Buena Vista. Although pronouncing the two s's in Des Moines and the s in Illinois are also pretty bad. Not that people in Iowa do those, just in general.

[Birds Fan]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I grew up in Burlington and always heard Keokuk as KEE-uh-kuck, more UH than OH.

I grew up in a town down in Missouri just a short distance from Keokuk, and people in my hometown pronounce it as KEE-uh-kuck.

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by fezzador

Des Moines, Washington is a suburb of Seattle, and is pronounced "duh moinz" unlike in Iowa.

Really? Cause I've lived in the Puget Sound for over 20 years now and I've never heard it pronounced any way except de moin.

Most of the names being discussed here seem like French names, so having taken a wee bit of French in high school, that's how I'd be tempted to say them.