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Old 07-15-2008, 03:31 PM
 
Location: Minnesota
71 posts, read 269,174 times
Reputation: 28

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Up here in South Central MN we were debating how to say Missouri.

A few swear that it is pronounced Missouraaaaah

and some that say no it is Missouriiiiiiii...

How do you guys pronounce it? Not that it is all that important but hubby says Missouriiiiii and it drives his boss nuts. Boss says that is incorrect.
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Old 07-15-2008, 03:47 PM
 
Location: Tower Grove East, St. Louis, MO
12,063 posts, read 30,376,687 times
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You should do a search of this forum because I know it's been debated here before, but the short answer is that there is no correct way to say it. It's regional.
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Old 07-15-2008, 05:34 PM
 
Location: Southeast Missouri
5,812 posts, read 18,133,957 times
Reputation: 3381
Really there is no "correct" way to say it. But Missourah gets on my nerves honestly.

It seems like Missourah is generally rural and Missouri is more urban, but I live in a town of 400 and most people call it Missouri. You say Missourah around here most people will know you're not from here.

We've had debate about this before.

Grammatically, Missourah makes no sense. an :"I" doesn't usually make an "uh" sound.

I don't say it Missourah. That seems more southern and rural to me. Which sounds fine, but I try not to talk grammatically incorrect, which Missourah looks to be.

Quote:
Did you know the name "Missouri" is a Siouan Indian word? It comes from the tribal name Missouria, which means "big canoe people." The Missouri Indians were not the only native people of this region, however.
http://www.native-languages.org/missouri.htm

Not sure if that helps or not, but if it was originally Missouria, it was probably Missoureeah, probably not Missourahah. Otherwise, why have the "i" in there since you already have the A?

Quote:
With no authentic guidance (see origin of "Missouri" above) a case can be made for any of the three pronounciations. Statistical studies have determined that more Missourians actually say "Mizzoori" than the other two variants. "Mizzoorah" is more common in rural central and northwestern Missouri (excluding Kansas City). Both city dwellers and Ozarkers seem to prefer the "i" ending, for differing reasons. "Miss-oori" seems to be an affectation of non-natives, tv and radio announcers, and teachers of eloclution, whose concept of the word comes from the written page and the rules of standard English, not an ear tuned in the cradle.
http://members.socket.net/~joschaper/moname.htm

The Newsboys (band from Australia) came to Poplar Bluff. They asked how to say Missouri and some guy got up and said "Missourah" and everybody booed.

Last edited by STLCardsBlues1989; 07-15-2008 at 05:54 PM..
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Old 07-15-2008, 10:10 PM
 
Location: MO Ozarkian in NE Hoosierana
4,682 posts, read 11,629,865 times
Reputation: 6964
Missouri (as in Missouree).

Tain't no other way.

Class dismissed.

Thank you.

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Old 07-15-2008, 11:23 PM
 
Location: Moved to town. Miss 'my' woods and critters.
25,464 posts, read 13,136,842 times
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'M I S S O U R I' is pronounced 'Missouri' (eeeeeeeeeeeee). Some politicians may say Missourah. Probably to garner votes from voters in certain counties of a more rural nature.
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Old 07-16-2008, 09:46 AM
 
Location: Tower Grove East, St. Louis, MO
12,063 posts, read 30,376,687 times
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^^ When Jim Talent was running for senate he had two different versions of the same radio commercial. One that aired in St. Louis had him pronouncing it Missour-ee, another that aired in the Springfield and Mid-Mo area where he pronounced it Missour-ah!!
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Old 07-16-2008, 11:29 AM
 
Location: MO Ozarkian in NE Hoosierana
4,682 posts, read 11,629,865 times
Reputation: 6964
Quote:
Originally Posted by aragx6 View Post
^^ When Jim Talent was running for senate he had two different versions of the same radio commercial. One that aired in St. Louis had him pronouncing it Missour-ee, another that aired in the Springfield and Mid-Mo area where he pronounced it Missour-ah!!
Just further proof that politicians have a forked tongue...
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Old 07-16-2008, 11:32 AM
 
Location: Covington County, Alabama
259,029 posts, read 86,961,658 times
Reputation: 138443
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShadowCaver View Post
Just further proof that politicians have a forked tongue...
Now Shadow, he was just being bi-lingual.
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Old 07-17-2008, 05:24 PM
 
Location: Missouri
5 posts, read 30,726 times
Reputation: 12
MO is all I Know.... soooo-
Missoureeeeeeeeeeeee!
Actually dat's how they teach us to spell it 2!
happy thoughts from all us here at the trailer pawk!
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Old 07-18-2008, 09:41 AM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
3,742 posts, read 7,930,813 times
Reputation: 660
Rural Missourians are the only people who I've heard pronounce the state "Missourah." Urban Missourians and the rest of the nation pronounce it "Missouree." I honestly find it insulting when an outsider pronounces the state "Missourah"...for some reason it just doesn't seem proper, probably because they are doing it to make fun of us...I don't have a problem however when people that have lived in Missouri their whole life do it. But anyway, "Missourah" or "Missouri", doesn't really matter...just don't pronounce it "Missourye" please or I'll be forced to laugh at you
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