Correct pronunciation of "New Orleans" (Shreveport, Houma: taxi, radio)

[OldGregg]

Originally Posted by Snowball7

The Cajuns were imported Acadians.
The real proper pronunciation is the same as the
original name, derived from the royal house of Orleans.
La Nouvelle-Orléans was founded May 7, 1718.

it would be something like New "aw-lay-on" with emphasis
on the final syllable.

Cajuns have nothing to do with New Orleans.

[OldGregg]

Originally Posted by Dport7674

None of the NO natives that I worked with down there said it that way, I don't remember anyone saying it that way. They all said it as 'New Orlinz'.

Yes, a lot of people say it that way. But Or-lee-ahns/ahnz is the correct pronunciation. However, if everyone went around saying it like that nobody would be taken serious.

[NOLAetchgirl]

I'm native to the city. I pronounce it "New OR-le-an-s" the name being derived from the French name of the city "la nouvelle or-le'ans".

"New OR-leans" just urks me.

[splinterhed]

N' auw linz, easy as Pi.

[Craziaskowboi]

"Nawwwww-LEEEEENNNNNZAH!!!"

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

"Nawwwww-LEEEEENNNNNZAH!!!"

Ewwww

[High_Iron]

I grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana. I am not Cajun, but had Cajun friends. Most people I knew in Lafayette pronounced it "LAFF ee et". A Lafayette radio station even stated that was the correct pronunciation, though they quickly backtracked on that and stated the other pronunciation (next sentence) was equally correct. I didn't start pronouncing it "LOFF ee et" until I moved to Texas and was "corrected" on the pronunciation.

In Lafayette, most people pronounced New Orleans with three syllables: "Nu OR luns". "NAW lins" was considered a humorous pronunciation. I lived in New Orleans briefly.

We generally pronounced Baton Rouge as "BAT in RUJ". Almost all aural pronunciations on the internet get that wrong, and don't even give it the correct French pronunciation. I had a great uncle that lived in Baton Rouge.

[LostintheMatrix]

it's Nawlins - dawlin

[selogic]

Nobody really knows .

[smarino]

It's Nu AW lins. But if you're not from New Orleans, just say it as you would normally say it or it will come out hopelessly fake and phony. You know, touristy.

There's more than one pronunciation anyway, depending on what part of the city your accent is from. Listen to a video of Tennessee Williams saying it sometime. He says it in a way that I would never say it, but from him it sounds authentic. People are generally not hung up about this though. As long as your buying the drinks, you can call it anything you want. Just call it 'frisco.

Only phonies pronounce it as Nawlins. Mostly Yankee phonies.