Why some people say "Preskit?" (Prescott: transplants, camping)

[greyscreek]

It's so funny to see people"s responses to the way Prescott should be pronounced. All the old timers called it Prescut. You could always tell if someone was fairly new to the area when they they called Prescott with the "cot" sound at the end. Main thing is that it's one terrific place to live.

[Frocio]

The reason it's pronounced "PRESS' kit" is because it's an English surname and that's how it's pronounced! This "Press' cott" business is a MISPRONUNCIATION. I ought to know, it's my last name.

[Frocio]

Originally Posted by pokuku

I'd have to say that the mispronunciation is a legacy of the cowboy era. Prescott was named after William H. Prescott, a well respected historian from Massachusetts. Obviously they don't know this, because nobody is going to pronounce the surname "Prescott" as "press-kit".

I'm not a tourist, and I refuse to say "press-kit" because it sounds stupid.

EVEN though it's correct? IT IS "press-kit". It's an English surname and it happens to be MY SURNAME!
So stupid as it may sound to you please pronounce my name properly.

[Frocio]

Originally Posted by johnp292

Pre-Scott or Press-cott?

The latter is correct.

Neither is correct. It's "PRESS' kit". It's my last name. I ought to know.

[Frocio]

Originally Posted by BriansPerspective

I don't think there's much difference between saying Prescut and Preskit. It's saying Pres-COTT' that gets people's panties in a bunch. I think the emphasis on the first syllable is the most important. I would guess that saying PRESS'-cot would cause less angst than saying Pres-CUT' or Pres-KIT'.

Emphasis on FIRST syllable. Now you've got it! But still the second syllable it "kit" not "cot" (emphasis is on the first syllable ALWAYS.

[Frocio]

Originally Posted by wretched wrench

Since this thread started, I have been paying more attention, and have noticed a number of long-time residents do say SCOT. The first syllable is always accented, but they say SCOT.

If they say it that way, they're mistaken. It's like the town in one of the Dakota's from which Josh Duhamel harkens. It's spelled Minot. It's pronounced "MINE' it" as if "had I a diamond mine in my backyard I'd "mine it"! This MY NOT crap is so wrong. It's an English surname!!!

[jamies]

I walked into a restaurant and loudly asked if it was in PresCOTT or PresCOTT valley.

I woke up in the ER...

[wretched wrench]

Originally Posted by Frocio

If they say it that way, they're mistaken. It's like the town in one of the Dakota's from which Josh Duhamel harkens. It's spelled Minot. It's pronounced "MINE' it" as if "had I a diamond mine in my backyard I'd "mine it"! This MY NOT crap is so wrong. It's an English surname!!!

Yup. I grew up a little south of there, and always heard it MINE it or MINE ot, with the ot almost dropped, without an obvious OTT sound. Kinda like Prescott
.

[wretched wrench]

Originally Posted by Frocio

Neither is correct. It's "PRESS' kit". It's my last name. I ought to know.

The truth is, the person who wears the name can pronounce it any way they wish.

I grew up with families who pronounced their last name differently in different branches. Behr was either beer or bear, depending. deBruyn was either debrine or debroon. And, my gosh, how the Dutch pronounce Van Gogh. Some Brits pronounce Ralph as Rafe, and so forth.

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by wretched wrench

The truth is, the person who wears the name can pronounce it any way they wish.

I grew up with families who pronounced their last name differently in different branches. Behr was either beer or bear, depending. deBruyn was either debrine or debroon. And, my gosh, how the Dutch pronounce Van Gogh. Some Brits pronounce Ralph as Rafe, and so forth.

My wife is incapable of saying 'bear'. She always says 'beer' She also cannot say 'Snuffaluffagus'.