What's with the pronunciation of Louisville by Louisville local media? (Lexington: stations, radio)

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by lvmensch

Hang on. I am actually a true Louisville native. I was born in NYC and spent a year there. Then a couple of years in rural Ohio before hitting Louisville were I did grade K through 11. I did my last year of High School on Long Island where I was quickly nicknamed "rebel" for my accent. I still have it but buried between upstate NY and Southern California. Two or three days in a southern city and it all comes back..."y'all" to the front.

I found it strange that none of us stayed there. Closest is a sister who ended up running a pediatric hospital in Cincinnati. We did all come back on the 50th Anniversary of My mothers graduation from UofL Law School. She was even the target of one of the speeches where a current Professor said his father, a prior Professor warned him to watch the lady in the first row and take clues from her whether he was going in the right direction.

I thoroughly enjoyed growing up there but then found the east and then the west and never considered going back. I will admit though I would have gone back to Louisville in a minute if a suitable job appeared. Unfortunately I was a high tech type and I doubt there were a dozen jobs in Louisville I would have taken.

But it was a wonderful place to be a kid.

I loved growing up in Louisville too! It was indeed a wonderful place to grow up!
My Dad was in the Coast Guard so I also lived in Connecticut, Miami and Baltimore for awhile too...but mostly Louisville...I don't think I have much of an accent.
(But then I thought I pronounced Louisville correctly too...when something totally different was coming out!)

Your Mom graduated from the law school at U of L? I had two cousins who also graduated the law school at U of L! Weirdly enough, only one actually went on to practice law the other went on to work for a bank!!!

New York and California are so different from one another. Which do you prefer? I like New York a lot...but I have never been to California, so it's hard to say!

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Crazee Cat Lady

Yes, you are definitely entitled to your own opinion. But so are other people.
You shouldn't get so up in arms that some people's opinion are different than yours.


I didn't even realize that I pronounced Louisville, "Lou-a-vull" till I was reading this thread, and tried listening to myself!!!! I am well aware of who it was named after and try to say like Louis-ville....but it sounds like Lou-a-vull when I say it!!! Sue me! I can't Help how it comes out sounding, even when I try to do the proper pronunciation. My family lived in Louisville for generations before I was born...(except for my Grandmother who was born in Germany) And my Fathers paternal side of the family were German Catholics who came from Germany and Indiana several generations back, so my family was all here pre-WWII.
HIS name was Angie Humphrey. And it was a she.
Well, just like you are entitled to your opinion, I am entitled to mine as well.
Though, I wouldn't say I have strong opinions on this...never even thought about it much before.

I was born and raised there and spent almost thirty years of my life there.

I spend time in Louisville often since I left, most of my family is still there. My Mom in her 80's is still there, spent lots of time with her when my Dad died and when she had a stroke in 2010. We visit there quite often. Like I said
I didn't even realize that I pronounced Louisville, "Lou-a-vull" till I was reading this thread, and tried listening to myself!!!! I am well aware of who it was named after and try to say like Louis-ville....but it sounds like Lou-a-vull when I say it!!! Sue me! I can't Help how it comes out sounding, even when I try to do the proper pronunciation.

Your pronunciation is very close to the correct and is indeed more in line with the long time Louisville native heritage dialect. It's the real southern Luhvul where it is just a blob of a sound that is completely inaccurate. So, your pronunciation is different than many southern transplant locals, even rural Ky transplants or Appalachia.

[scully2010]

Louisville natives call it Lou-a-vull without even thinking twice. I was born and raised here, and that's how it's said.

[Waiting to Leave]

Originally Posted by mike1003

Dont say that in Louisville, CO. They call it LOUIS-ville

I thought that they said "LEWIS-Ville" there?

[ServoMiff]

Originally Posted by scully2010

Louisville natives call it Lou-a-vull without even thinking twice. I was born and raised here, and that's how it's said.

Yup.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by Waiting to Leave

I thought that they said "LEWIS-Ville" there?

Lewisville pronunciation is found in the suburb of Boulder-Denver, CO.

[Weaubleau]

What's weird is Louisville residents will start pronouncing other cities ending in ville in the same screwed up way they mispronounce their home city name. i.e Jacksonvull, Nashvull etc..

[citybilly]

Mitch McConnell says ”Lullvul”. 2 sylblls.

[Seguinite]

Originally Posted by scully2010

Louisville natives call it Lou-a-vull without even thinking twice. I was born and raised here, and that's how it's said.

Grew up across the river and that's what I've always said. I get a kick out of people saying that's what 'hicks' will say and then say it's supposed to be LOUIEville. Say both out loud. LOUIEville sounds like something Foghorn Leghorn would say in a cartoon.

[BOORGONG]

Originally Posted by Seguinite

Grew up across the river and that's what I've always said. I get a kick out of people saying that's what 'hicks' will say and then say it's supposed to be LOUIEville. Say both out loud. LOUIEville sounds like something Foghorn Leghorn would say in a cartoon.

If ever there were a character that could help make America Grate (again), it would be Foghorn Leghorn. I would go with what he says. After all, it should sound like Louisville, not bubbavul, lawl.