Local Pronunciation

[atler8]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

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.

Good point, there, rodentraiser about the origin of some of the names as being derived completely or partially from a foreign language and specifically from French. Others are from American Indian names. In fact the name "Des Moines" in some sources is thought to be a French language reworking of an Indian name "Moingona".

As a kid in Iowa, I used to hear "Des Moines" pronounced in a variety of ways on WHO radio's talk programs which at that point originated right there in their own downtown Des Moines studios unlike the origin points of the bulk of their present syndicated talk show format. So some Iowans were even doing their own thing with that name.

When I lived near Chicago, the local pronunciation of a northwest-side suburb named "Des Plaines" as "Dez Plainz" grated on my sensibilities. And often, the locals there would pronounce Iowa's capital city as "Dez Moinz", if they deigned to ever say it in the first place.
All is not lost with Iowa's neighbors in Illinois however. In the era of the Bicentennial in 1976, a down state Illinois community named "Bourbonnais", then pronounced as "Burbonuss", decided to change that pronunciation over to a more correctly French pronunciation of "Bourbonay".

I hope their effort succeeded but they got an "A" from me for trying! So take it from me that there are pronunciation variations, etc. found elsewhere beyond merely Iowa.
One from here in my state of Georgia that gets on my nerves is for a town spelled "LaFayette" but which is pronounced "Luh-FAY-ette".

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

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.

And with your wee bit of French that you studied, how would you pronounce the state capital of South Dakota?

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by jmgg

And with your wee bit of French that you studied, how would you pronounce the state capital of South Dakota?

It's pronounced Peer. But I know that only because my parents lived there for years. lol

How would you pronounce Sequim?

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

It's pronounced Peer. But I know that only because my parents lived there for years. lol

How would you pronounce Sequim?

I had to look it up. Never heard of it. I see it's in Washington State. Sekeem?

Back to Iowa. Here's one for you. Pronounce the town of Camanche.

[rodentraiser]

It's pronounce Skwihm. Weird, I know.

I guess until I learned different, I'd pronounce it kah-MANSH. Let me guess - it's pronounced like kah-MAN-chie.

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

It's pronounce Skwihm. Weird, I know.

I guess until I learned different, I'd pronounce it kah-MANSH. Let me guess - it's pronounced like kah-MAN-chie.

You're right the first time. Unlike the the Native American tribe's pronunciation, it's kah-mansh.

[fezzador]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

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.

It's not necessarily the greatest source on the planet, but per Wikipedia it's "deh moynz".


One of the more commonly mispronounced communities in Iowa is Adel, with tons of people putting emphasis on the second syllable, but it's actually on the first syllable (rhymes with 'ladle').

[rodentraiser]

Yeah, but...does Wikipedia live in Des Moines? lol

Seriously, I'm going to have to pay more attention when I hear the name now.