Nevada :: Journalists - pretend you are educated - learn how to pronounce our state.

[LVZ]

Memo to: Tom Brokaw and about half of the national new media

Other than the tendency of the national media to incorrectly use "try and" instead of the correct "try to", one of my media pet peeves is the continuing incorrect pronunciation of our state.

Now that the Nevada caucuses are near, maybe you could learn the proper pronunciation.

Hint: it is not pronounced in the Spanish or 'da Governator' way.

http://evaeaston.com/pr/media/r/state-nev.ra

http://renotahoe.about.com/library/weekly/aa072798.htm

http://www.antimoon.com/forum/2004/3798.htm

Many, if not most, names of cities, states, and nations of Spanish origin have a different pronunciation in English. Supposedly educated national journalists have no trouble with the American vs Spanish pronunciation of Mexico, Cuba, Los Angeles, Tucson, Toledo, Loma Linda, Santa Monica, California, Montana, or Florida.

They also have no trouble with the American pronunciation of words like 'rodeo' of Spanish origin.

Why then, do so many journalists have so much difficulty with proper pronunciation of Nevada (and Colorado)? After so many decades, isn't it time that "journalists" educate themselves?

[Bicoastal]

1. New-Voy-Dee?

Well, I bet was close....

[incapsulated]

2. They can't because

Everyone else pronounces it that way.

:P

[Bonobo]

3. I try to avoid discussing it in general.

[XemaSab]

4. K&R

For our neighbor state. :toast:

[rwenos]

5. Peedro

Your post makes me smile. I live in "Los AN-jell-uss," not "Lose AN-hell-uss." I have no problem with the Spanish pronunciation. I've studied Spanish and travelled in Spanish-speaking countries, and even have Spanish-speaking in-laws! (They are all very amused by my schoolboy Spanish pronunciation.)

But try to explain to a certain species of "politically correct" East Coast type that San Pedro is pronounced "San PEE-drow" (a district of Los AN-jell-uss near the waterfront), and not "Sahn PEH-dro." Or Colorado is pronounced "Coll-or-AAAA-dow," and not "Coll-or-AHHHHH-dow" or "Coll-or-AHHHH-dah."

Nevada is pronounced "Nuh-VAAA-duh," not "Nay-VAHHH-dahh."

I guess it's a West Coast thing. We get it, East Coasties don't.

[cali]

13. I get it and I'm an east coaster but then

again I spent my first 10 years in CA. Now, how do you think we Vermonters pronounce Calais?

[rwenos]

15. Cal-LAY?

Or is that what you say when you're describing an easy target of sexual seduction from California?
:-)

[cali]

19. lol. nope.

A few years back we had a really hysterical repuke race for Senate nominee. There was this rich MA flatlander who spent a lot of money on the race. And then there was Fred Tuttle, a retired dairy farmer from Tunbridge Wells who spent $10 bucks. During one debate Fred asked Jack how you pronounced C-A-L-A-I-S
and Jack pronounced it just as you wrote it. Fred snickered and corrected him: "How can you expect to represent Vermonters when you don't know how to say Cal-ess?" (stress on the Cal)

Then Fred really delivered the coup de grace: He asked Jack how many teats on a cow.

Fred went on to beat the rich flatlander and promptly went on to endorse Pat Leahy.

And yes, every word of that story is true.

[Silent3]

36. Is that COO duh GRAH...

Then Fred really delivered the coup de grace: He asked Jack how many teats on a cow.

...or COOP duh GRAY-see? ;)

[rucky]

31. Even the ones shopping on Rodeo Drive.

[terisan]

6. Maybe it is time to stop anglicizing the pronunciation.

Nev add ah sounds seriously ugly. Col or add o is even worse

I much prefer the original Spanish pronunciations. I think the Florida pronunciation may be in a state of flux within the state.

[rwenos]

7. Why? They're Names in a Primarily English-Speaking Country

Perhaps this will beget flames. In Los Angeles, there are over a million native Spanish speakers. The #1 evening news broadcast is on KMEX, a Spanish-language station.

But there are many, many people here from Taiwan, Punjab, Iran, Korea, Russia, etc.

So what's so bad about using Anglicized names? When I'm speaking Spanish, I use the Spanish pronunciations.

[terisan]

9. Change to St. Peter, The Angels, St Monica-it would be consistent.

Why keep the Spanish name and mangle the pronunciation?

[rwenos]

12. For the Same Reason We say "PAIR-uss"

The French don't say "PAIR-uss." They say "Pah-REE." The Russki's don't say "Moscow." The Germans don't say "Munich."

Thus, no reason for us Yanks to say "Sahn PEH-drow," IMHO. If someone initiates Spanish with me (it happens all the time when clients learn I speak moderately-okay Spanish), I use the Spanish pronunciations.

Flexibility works. You should try it. :-)

[terisan]

21. Actually I say Munchen and Milano and Napoli. I grew up in among many southern

and northern Europeans and people seemed to prefer and even insist upon the European forms and pronunications of towns and cities even when speaking English.

In NY we referred to a matching bed, bureaus and nightstands as a bedroom suite (sweet); in Atlanta it is called a bedroom "suit" although spelled as suite (sometimes creating a problen in comprehension).

In Germany I found my hosts prefered that we use the German names of towns and cities even when speaking in English.

[LVZ]

23. There are inconsistencies in Germany too - New York aber Neue Mexico. n/t

[NashVegas]

33. Because You Sound Like Idiots When You Travel Out of Town?

(universal 'you')

I was born and raised in Upstate NY, grandma born in Quebec.

After 13 years in Nashville, when I catch myself saying "la FAY-it" I feel the need to cross myself.

[dbackjon]

39. LMAO

It took me months to figure out where the hell la FAY it street was.

[fuzzy otter pop]

8. yeah! you tell um!!!

drives me nuts. It is how we say it and we live here. that is it. its called courtesy.

see you at the caucuses

[Silent3]

10. Who claims to be the keeper of the ONE official pronunciation?

Some words do have more than one correct pronunciation, you know.

There's no rule we HAVE to go out of our way to Americanize the pronunciation of every place name we can, especially when something closer to an original-language pronunciation isn't that hard for Americans to get their mouths around.

Nev-ADD-uh instead of Nuh-VAH-duh (or Call-ur-ADD-oh instead of Call-uh-RAHD-oh) grates on me, as do a lot of pronunciations that unnecessarily change AH (like the A in fAther) into AA (like the A in cAt).

[LVZ]

16. Eastern arrogance? Have some respect. We don't say New Hamp-shy'er, now do we? n/t

[Silent3]

17. I just checked my dictionary...

...and it shows both pronunciations as valid. I respect that.

[LVZ]

18. A Western or Easterner dictionary? Do you also say things like Huckabee' s "irregardless"?

Wikipedia: "Irregardless is primarily found in North America, most notably in Boston and surrounding areas."

[Silent3]

35. Nope, "regardless" makes much more sense to me

Just like nuh-VAH-duh makes more sense to me. :)

[troubleinwinter]

11. My town of Prescott is properly pronounced 'Preskitt'. We have to tell EVERY newbie & visitor.

[Skittles]

26. well, why WOULDN'T you have to tell them?

!!!!!

[troubleinwinter]

37. Well, YAH! We laugh at ourselves, not the visitors. "Preskitt" is kinda tacky.

[Skittles]

44. sounds like long ago someonone slurred it

then everyone followed suit

[troubleinwinter]

45. Most likely this goes a ways toward explaining it:

The town of Prescott, Arizona was established in 1864 and named for famed Boston historian Willam Hickling Prescott, who visited the town that carried his name in 1874.

After touring the town, Prescott addressed the townspeople (largely cowboys, miners and bordello girls) thusly:

"I have never been so defamed as to stand before this undignified crown of half-washed, half awake, half-sober populace who has dared to name their raggedy little village after me.

When I heard of such rudeness, I immediately partook of a two-month journey to this lonely desolate ungodly outpost with my 'young niece' to bear witness myself to this shame that is before me and before you.

I beg you, if you have a remnant of decency remaining in your dark territorial hearts, to rename this paltry piece of geography, and unburden my noble family name of this slander."

~ William Hickling Prescott, April 1, 1874

[Skarbrowe]

14. I'm guilty. It's like a brain block. I know it's NeVAAda, but I say vaah.

Sorry, I'll keep trying. Now, how is that pronunciation of Colorado? I say it like I collared a rado. Wrong.

[LVZ]

22. Understandable since the Eastern news media reinforces the error daily. n/t

[Hekate]

20. I learned to say "Miz-ur-uh" for Missouri. They can learn to say Nevada

Btw, California-Spanish isn't that hard ... just a little inconsistant. The university town is spelled Isla Vista but pronounced Eye-la Vis-ta. But only a complete newbie would pronounce Calle Real as Calley Re-al instead of Ca-yay Re-al.

I think correct pronunciation of place-names is whatever the locals say it is. Like Miz-ur-uh.

Hekate

[MadHound]

30. Congratulations, you now sound like a Missouri downstate hick

It isn't Missour-uh, it is Missour-ee. I know, I know, there's a raging debate, but frankly the only ones who use the "uh" pronunciation are the backwoods hicks and the southern state fundies. If you want to sound like John Ashcroft, fine with me, but:shrug:

I'm not chewing you out, just joshing around with you a bit, you can say it however you want. Frankly I don't know why people get so bent out of shape on these things. Everybody has dialectical differences, and speak in different ways. Hell, even the Queen's English is mangled in her home country on a daily basis.

:hi:

[Hekate]

40. Thanks ever so. I took it from Jim Lehrer -- who says his name is Lehr-ah, so what does he know?

I figured a PBS broadcaster wouldn't be a hick. A former co-worker and her husband (who were pretty much "escaped hicks") used to say they came from the State of Miz-ry, a play on Misery, and they were glad to be making their fortunes in California.

My late mother considered herself the arbiter of all things to do with speaking correct American English. I learned a great deal from her, and I'm grateful. It's been very useful in work and academic settings my entire life.

But eventually I realized the social limitations inherent in her scheme of things--that day finally came when I told her the groundskeeper at my condo said his name was Pilipi and she corrected me by saying, "Of course, that's really Felipe."

No, actually, it wasn't. The man was a Filipino, and his name was Pilipi. I think it's only polite to acknowledge that.

Decades later, I figure that Jim Lehr-ah also knows how to pronounce his own name -- but if he's not from Missouri, maybe I shouldn't take his word for that.

Hekate

[moriah]

43. Mizzou! :)

"It isn't Missour-uh, it is Missour-ee. I know, I know, there's a raging debate, but frankly the only ones who use the "uh" pronunciation are the backwoods hicks and the southern state fundies."

I grew up on Missouri Street, and always said "Miz-zer-ah" Street, but referred to the state with the "EE" sound at the end. But I grew up in the South (Arkansas, if you must know). But now I live too close to the Missouri border, and too many people call it "Misery". I don't know why, land prices are SO much cheaper up across the border than they are in my county, I can't call that Misery!

I say Nuh-va-duh, Coll-a-rah-do, New Hamp-sure, and Our-can-saw.

[avrdream]

24. Okay, try pronouncing Cairns, where I live.

Hint, no R and it sounds like "eh".

I agree, though, that politicians should do their best to say things correctly. You know the whole "when in Rome" thing.

[SmellsLikeDeanSpirit]

25. I say it like 'Na-ve-da', not 'Na-va-da'

[LVZ]

29. Listen to the pronunciation (link to .wav file player)

http://ideaboomer.com/wave-player.html?nevada.wav (listen link)

http://ideaboomer.com/nevada.wav (source wav file)

[Berry Cool]

27. This discussion is easy to start, hard to stop

but what it all comes down to is, place names are pronounced the way the natives pronounce them, not any other way.

The thing is, people who aren't natives often won't know how that is and they won't care?

Me? Every time I hear a local commercial for a store that has a location in Mentor (Ohio) and the announcer pronounces it "MEN-TOR," I know it wasn't done by a local, because a local would've said "MEN-ner" like we do.

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. This thread shows we need a better way of writing down pronunciations

Because the .ram file you link to gives the middle syllable as a short 'a', but the Reno/Tahoe about.com article says it's "Ne-vaa-Da" - and when I see that, I think the middle syllable is a long 'a' - because words that are written with a double 'a' are normally pronounced with a long 'a' ('Aachen', 'aardvark').

And the ways other people in this thread are writing it down are so inconsistent that they're basically useless.

[Jersey Devil]

32. Well, then you learn to say New Jersey

You dopey west coasters don't know how to pronounce that properly, so neener, neener.

It's New Joisey of course.

[mohc]

34. IPA

The official IPA is: nɨˈvæːdə

I've always used: nə'væ:də

But growing up mostly in the south, I have noticed many words that officially use "ɨ" like "roses" (ˈɹoʊzɨz) I pronounce ˈɹoʊzəz

[Mountainman]

38. So, an Eastern salesman goes to San Diego. He asks for directions to Jamacha Rd saying,"Where is .

jamaika rd?" The reply, "You mean hamasha?" Then he asks for directions to El Cajon like this, "Where is El kajohn? The reply, "You mean el kahone?"

Then the salesmen is asked, when will you be coming back? He replies, "hune or huly."

[redqueen]

41. I doubt this bothers many other people to the degree it bothers you...

that being the case, I doubt much will change.

[LVZ]

42. Jon Ralston - Jan 9, 2008 - The Five Nevada Rules

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/commentary/newcityvegas.com/2008/jan/09/566629035.html

Today: January 09, 2008 at 6:49:13 PST

Jon Ralston gives White House hopefuls five helpful rules for campaigning here

What follows here is New Hampshire-result neutral.

That is, no matter what happened Tuesday (yes, infernal deadlines preclude me from knowing results as I type), this primer for those presidential candidates about to bivouac here is essential.

Let's hope that those within the Clinton campaign who considered abandoning the state have lost that argument, and let's pray that some of the Republicans actually can find the state on the map.

We just want the attention, and I am, as always, simply trying to be helpful. Herewith, The Five Nevada Rules:

Rule No. 1: It's Ne-va-duh, not Ne-vah-duh. I know this seems elemental by now - few of you get it wrong at this point - but one slip-up, especially outside Clark County, could be fatal. If you inadvertently deliver the wrong pronunciation of the state, here's a quick save: "Sorry. I just had a meeting with Steve Wynn, and he says it that way."

...

[LVZ]

46. Aahhhhh! So many NBC and MSNBC journalists say it wrong ....

Dan Abrams, Joe Scarborough, Monica Novotny, Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, Mika Brzezinski, Dana Milbank, John Harwood, Alex Witt and more ...

Damned annoying to hear it every few minutes now that the Nevada caucuses are near.

How can national journalists be so unprofessional and, yes, inconsiderate of Nevadans?

 

[Skarbrowe]

47. How do New Yorkers say " Borough"?

My last name ends in those letters and I always pronounced it Burro. In England whenever you hear a town with borough at the end they usually, if not always, say burrah. My southern relatives always said burrah. I was so confused for years that I think I went through a period of saying it differently every time I was asked my full name. I'm for not being picky about how certain town, city or state names are pronounced as long as people know what you are talking about. I do know that when you are from an area you cringe a little when you hear it pronounced in a way that you and your neighbors don't. When it comes to that east coast/west coast way of talking, I think we just have to accept that things are not going to change. I say Pop..bet some say Soda. I say aunt(ant), some say aunt (auunt), I say pasta (pahsta), I've heard people say paasta).

I lived in a one of the many towns called Rochester for several years. The first few years I lived there I said Roc chester. Like, who in the heck is Roc Chester. :) It took me awhile to finally say Rahchester..guess it should be Ro-chester. eh

Language..so much fun!

[LVZ]

48. Love him or hate him, congratulations to Chris Matthews

Not only has Chris always pronounced Nevada correctly, he made a specific point on his show today to tell others that it "is pronounced Ne-va-duh" (not Ne-vah-duh).

Now if only the many others of the NBC and MSNBC news universe would take note.

Here are some offenders:

Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, Dan Abrams, Joe Scarborough, Willie Geist, Mika Brzezinski, John Harwood, Dana Milbank, Monica Novotny, etc.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Nov-26-Wed-2003/news/22672436.html

How to pronounce Nevada (listen): http://ideaboomer.com/wave-player.html?nevada.wav

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