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Northeastern Pennsylvania Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area
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View Poll Results: How do you pronounce Wilkes-Barre?
Wilks-Berry 22 46.81%
Wilks-Barry 11 23.40%
Wilks-Barr 6 12.77%
Other 8 17.02%
Voters: 47. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 12-18-2009, 02:51 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,616 posts, read 77,579,178 times
Reputation: 19101

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerania View Post
No, more like the hat, beret, with an A sound at the end.

So Wilkes-Barre really has a French name? Cool! That explains why the city is as classy as it is today.
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Old 12-18-2009, 03:07 PM
 
Location: PA/FL/UT
1,294 posts, read 3,252,913 times
Reputation: 530
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerania View Post
No, more like the hat, beret, with an A sound at the end.
So the correct way of saying it is, following your comment, is WILKES-BEAR-A?
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Old 12-19-2009, 08:10 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, Florida
15,395 posts, read 22,515,219 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerania View Post
Wilkes-Barra... that's how I pronounce it.
That was how I always pronounced it....Wilkes-Barre(uh)???
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Old 12-19-2009, 08:18 PM
 
273 posts, read 957,052 times
Reputation: 190
The survey results are hardly conclusive
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Old 12-19-2009, 08:22 PM
 
Location: wilkes-barre
1,973 posts, read 5,272,401 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kinpa View Post
lol I found this.
About Wilkes-Barre
very interesting actually!
After reading that, I'm even more confused!
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Old 12-19-2009, 08:28 PM
 
Location: Pike County, PA
1,162 posts, read 3,007,134 times
Reputation: 630
If I posted this before, forgive me. Don't want to look thru the posts.

I once heard something advertised on TV (like a sham wow type thing) and the address given was pronounced "Will - kess - bar" LOL.

Most commonly I've heard "Wilkes- Bare" and "Wilkes-barry"

Never heard Wilkes-beret. LOL
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Old 12-20-2009, 01:42 PM
 
Location: wilkes-barre
1,973 posts, read 5,272,401 times
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I think the most common pronoucation by locals, by far is Wilkes-Berry. That's what everyone who lives in the city calls it that I know.
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Old 12-20-2009, 03:26 PM
 
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA
2,014 posts, read 3,896,647 times
Reputation: 1725
According our very own website they researched the name of Isaac Barre and found it to be Wilkes-Bear Ah

About Wilkes-Barre

Wikipedia

Isaac Barré - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old 12-20-2009, 04:31 PM
 
Location: Sunshine N'Blue Skies
13,321 posts, read 22,656,665 times
Reputation: 11696
The two widely accepted ways to pronounce Wilkes-Barre are "Wilkes-BERRY" and "Wilkes-BEAR". Named in honor of British Parliament members, John Wilkes and ...
www.wilkes-barre.pa.us/wbpro.php -

That accent on the e' ........should make the "e" sound like e'..........
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Old 12-20-2009, 04:49 PM
 
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA
2,014 posts, read 3,896,647 times
Reputation: 1725
After rereading this I guess they are saying it sounds like beret after all. Read closely and it says to pronounce the last e like the a in the word mate.

As to the pronunciation of this name...The name--a compound word of three syllables--is pronounced neither Wilks-bä r, Wilkes-bä r, Wilks-bare-ry nor Wilks-bare-eh as so often heard, but Wilks'-ba-ra--with a slight accent on the first syllable; 'i' in the first syllable being sounded as 'i' in 'pin', 'a' in the second syllable as 'a' in 'mat' and the final 'è'; as 'a' in 'mate'. The French 'e' with the 'close' accent has the sound last noted."
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