Local Pronunciation (Des Moines, Burlington, Keokuk: business, weather, MBA)

[inave]

Husband and I were talking tonight and we are at an impasse as to how to pronounce the name of the state of Iowa. Is it IoWAH or IoWEIGH? Thanks.

[burrrrr]

"IoWEIGH" would be Ioway, which was a Tribe that the state is named after. However - the state itself is usually pronounced "Eye-oh-wah."

[steel03]

I've never heard anyone say Ioweigh other than to talk about the Indian tribe, which is also spelled Ioway. The state is pronounced Iowah. (technically /aɪ'-jə-wə/).

[ElleTea]

I have heard people badly mispronounce Des Moines, but have never heard anyone say IowAY.

[Devans0]

You know that a person is not a native Iowan when they mention Nevada, Ia.

For non-native readers, it's pronounced neh VAY dah.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Devans0

You know that a person is not a native Iowan when they mention Nevada, Ia.

For non-native readers, it's pronounced neh VAY dah.

Or Madrid. (MAD rid)

[atler8]

Or Tripoli. (TRIP-allah)

Ioway was used in sort of a colloquial manner during the earlier part of the last century.
That pronunciation got picked up & spread more widely via the radio, film & popular music segments of show business. Without that media usage, it would probably not have ever been widely known outside of the state.
As a kid, eager for the state to shed it's old rural-dominated reputation, I used to sort of cringe when hearing it used.

[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)

I don't know that I've ever heard anyone pronounce Iowa "Ioway" except as an intentional mis-pronunciation (or, as others have said, when referring to the tribe). I think it's probably much more common to hear Illinoiz or Missouruh from people who really don't know any better.

[ElleTea]

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

[Meemur]

Originally Posted by Devans0

it's pronounced neh VAY dah.

I had to learn that. Fortunately, I heard it on the weather and didn't embarrass myself in public.

Worst I've heard for D-M so far is "Dess MO-IN-s" from a South American.