# Speaking like a local



## Jim Bryan (Jul 29, 2014)

Along the West Coast of Florida is a favorite spot for our visitors from other States and areas. Much like saying "Mahola" in Hawaii instead of "Mahalo, here are just a few things to help you talk like a local.  The Town of Anna Maria, may have a Marie living there but it's not named after her.
 St. Pete Beach has no "S" on the end of Pete. 
St. Armands Circle may sell Armani but it's not named after Armani. 
And it's Madeira Beach, if you ask for directions. Maderia Beach may end you up at a place you don't want to be. Pass A Grille will get you there but Passed Grill may not.


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## ronparise (Jul 29, 2014)

and its Fort Myers not Fort Myer (thats in Viginia)

and there really used to be a fort here,  but its gone now,only the name survives.


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## bjones9942 (Jul 29, 2014)

In New Hampshire, Berlin is Bur-len, not Bur-lin.
In New York City, Houston street is Ho'w'ston, not Ho'u'ston
In Seattle it's Pike Place Market, not Pikes Place Market
In New York City a regular coffee has cream and sugar
In some parts of Alabama you'll get buttermilk if you don't say sweet milk


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## chapjim (Aug 16, 2014)

Used to live in Louisville (pronounced LUHL vuhl), KY.  Just across the Ohio River on I-64 there's a town the locals call "knob knee."

Look at a map to see the actual name.


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## NKN (Aug 16, 2014)

I looked it up - that's too funny!    Those of us from the northeast would have trouble with that one!

Nkn.   :hysterical:


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## DaveNV (Aug 16, 2014)

Only non-Virginians pronounce Norfolk as "NOR-FOKE."  Locals call it "NAH-fick" or "NORF-uck."

In Hawaii, my Dad just about drove me crazy: He called it the "PAL-ee" Highway, not the PAH-lee. Locals were "Ka-NACK-ees" instead of Ka-NAH-kas. And worst of all, it was "Ha-WY-ya" instead of "Ha-WYE-ee."

But then, at the time, this was one of his favorite jokes:

"What is a KANE? It's the Hawaiian word for a man.

Then what is a WAHINE?  It's something you put on a ba-HUN with ma-HUSTARD and ra-HELISH."  

(Drum roll, please.)  

I must have heard him say that joke a hundred times. :hysterical:

 Dave


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 16, 2014)

*Kissimmee FL.*

I thought the right way to say it is _*KISS*-immy_*.*

The Chief Of Staff said it's _Ki-*SIMMY*_*.* 

So when we were having lunch there on vacation, was asked a lady in the restaurant, "Would you please say the name of the place where we are, but say it real slow?" 

"Sure," she said.  "It's _*Bur - Ger - King."*_ 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Don (Aug 17, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> Only non-Virginians pronounce Norfolk as "NOR-FOKE."  Locals call it "NAH-fick" or "NORF-uck."
> 
> Dave



Actually most locals say "NAWF-uck".  I lived across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk for most of my life.


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## lvhmbh (Aug 17, 2014)

And please it's Boca Ra-tone not ton!


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## DaveNV (Aug 17, 2014)

Don said:


> Actually most locals say "NAWF-uck".  I lived across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk for most of my life.



That's sounds better. Thanks.  I couldn't figure out how to spell it. 

Dave


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## Talent312 (Aug 17, 2014)

lvhmbh said:


> And please it's Boca Ra-tone not ton!



Although, some folks just say "Boca."

Glee's Sue Sylvester:
"Alright, here's what happens now. I'm gonna head on down to my condo in Boca, brown up a bit, get myself into fighting shape..."
.


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## DaveNV (Aug 17, 2014)

Oregon:  It's OR-a-gun, not ORIE-gawn.

And a difference I've found between East and West Coast:  It's WASH-ing-ton DC, and (frequently) WAR-shing-ton State. (I have no idea why so many Washington State people say it with an R in it.  )

Dave


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## klpca (Aug 17, 2014)

In San Diego, the beautiful little village along the coast is called La Jolla, pronounced La Hoya.


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## Jim Bryan (Aug 17, 2014)

Ki-SIMMY.  Correct!


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## bjones9942 (Aug 17, 2014)

Dave - the reason so many people here say 'Warshington' is because they're transplants from other areas.  My mother was from Iowa and I could never break her of saying it that way.


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## DaveNV (Aug 17, 2014)

bjones9942 said:


> Dave - the reason so many people here say 'Warshington' is because they're transplants from other areas.  My mother was from Iowa and I could never break her of saying it that way.



I'm inclined to agree, but my Mom and her brothers were all born and raised here, to parents who were also born and raised here.  And all of them said "WaRshington." I just don't get it.  

Dave


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## Armada (Aug 17, 2014)

In south Florida, when talking about towns that have 'beach' in their name, you always drop the 'beach' and just refer to them to as Pompano, Delray, Boynton or West Palm.  The exception would be Highland Beach.  Ft Lauderdale is just Lauderdale.  Boca Raton is just Boca.


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## Passepartout (Aug 17, 2014)

And out here in Idaho, the capitol city is BOY-see, not Boy-ZEE if you please. And Moscow is MOSS-co, not like that place in Russia. Oh yes, there really is a place called Picabo, pronounced Peek-a-boo, just like you thought.

Jim


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## Don (Aug 18, 2014)

Armada said:


> In south Florida, when talking about towns that have 'beach' in their name, you always drop the 'beach' and just refer to them to as Pompano, Delray, Boynton or West Palm.  The exception would be Highland Beach.  Ft Lauderdale is just Lauderdale.  Boca Raton is just Boca.



In SW FL we have a Boca also, Boca Grande.  It's where the Bushes vacation.


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## lvhmbh (Aug 18, 2014)

Exactly!  We have friends that live on Boca Grande!  If I'm talking to someone down here I'll say Boca but.....in another part of the state I specify.


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## Ron98GT (Aug 18, 2014)

Talent312 said:


> Although, some folks just say "Boca."
> 
> Glee's Sue Sylvester:
> "Alright, here's what happens now. I'm gonna head on down to my condo in Boca, brown up a bit, get myself into fighting shape..."
> .


I have relatives that live in Boca Raton, and that's all they ever call it: Boca.


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## PrairieGirl (Aug 18, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> Oregon:  It's OR-a-gun, not ORIE-gawn.
> 
> And a difference I've found between East and West Coast:  It's WASH-ing-ton DC, and (frequently) WAR-shing-ton State. (I have no idea why so many Washington State people say it with an R in it.  )
> 
> Dave



Yes!  And it is the Wil-LAmette River, not the WILL-a-mette.

And this one is too funny.  I live in Canada now (oh, don't ask me how I pronounce garage, or lever, or decal....) and we actually have Eddie Bauer stores.  Back when they were naming the cuts of their pants after various places in Washington state, I burst out laughing when the clerk was telling me about the VaSHone style. (with a very French muted ending, but hey, its Canada!).  You should have seen her face when I told her that I was from the land of Eddie Bauer (well, we DID drive from Portland to Seattle in high school just to shop there, it was so cool) and it was VAshun, as in the island........


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## Tamaradarann (Aug 19, 2014)

*In Miami, you better say Miami Beach*



Armada said:


> In south Florida, when talking about towns that have 'beach' in their name, you always drop the 'beach' and just refer to them to as Pompano, Delray, Boynton or West Palm.  The exception would be Highland Beach.  Ft Lauderdale is just Lauderdale.  Boca Raton is just Boca.



You didn't mention the biggest one of them all in Florida.  Miami Beach is far different than Miami.  It is a different world as far a location and ambiance.  We own timeshares in the Art Deco District of Miami Beach right across Ocean Drive from the beach.  That is a totally different than owning in Miami where there is no beach anywhere nearby.


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 29, 2014)

*The Oldest Town In Delaware.*

Lewes, Delaware*.*

Locals say it _Lewis_. 

Outsiders are apt to say _Looz_ (until they catch on).

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## persia (Aug 29, 2014)

You can add the following in Wisconsin:

Rio - Rye-O
Oregon - Or-ree-GON

And Massachusetts anything end in -ham

Walth-HAM
Ded-HAM

They like their pork in Mass....


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## Bob B (Aug 29, 2014)

persia said:


> You can add the following in Wisconsin:
> 
> Rio - Rye-O
> Oregon - Or-ree-GON
> ...



And my personal favorite, Woostah (Worcester), MA


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## lvhmbh (Aug 30, 2014)

Pierre, South Dakota - pronounced Peer.


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## chapjim (Sep 20, 2014)

klpca said:


> In San Diego, the beautiful little village along the coast is called La Jolla, pronounced La Hoya.



That's the way it is pronounced in Spanish.

Here's one that is NOT the way it is pronounced in Spanish:  the city that forms part of the Port of Long Beach -- San Pedro -- but most in the area pronounce it san PEE-dro (should be sahn PEH dro)


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## klpca (Sep 20, 2014)

chapjim said:


> That's the way it is pronounced in Spanish.
> 
> Here's one that is NOT the way it is pronounced in Spanish:  the city that forms part of the Port of Long Beach -- San Pedro -- but most in the area pronounce it san PEE-dro (should be sahn PEH dro)



Truth. No one calls a man named Pedro "peedro" so it's quite odd that everyone says San Peedro.


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## Fern Modena (Sep 20, 2014)

I always just say Rat's Mouth 



lvhmbh said:


> And please it's Boca Ra-tone not ton!


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## Fern Modena (Sep 20, 2014)

The Port of Long Beach is pronounced Long Beach. The Port of _Los Angeles_ is San PEE-dro. If you go to San Pedro looking for a ship which docks at Port of Long Beach, you'll miss your vacay.

Fern



chapjim said:


> That's the way it is pronounced in Spanish.
> 
> Here's one that is NOT the way it is pronounced in Spanish:  the city that forms part of the Port of Long Beach -- San Pedro -- but most in the area pronounce it san PEE-dro (should be sahn PEH dro)


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## Fern Modena (Sep 20, 2014)

In Las Vegas, one of the first things they teach new news people is that Hualapai is pronounced WALL-a-pie. It is Indian, not Spanish.

Fern


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## LynnW (Sep 20, 2014)

It's funny someone brought this thread up again just when I heard a discussion on the radio today about Calgary. People who have lived here a long time call it Calgry and everyone else says Cal-GARY.

Lynn


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## chapjim (Sep 22, 2014)

Fern Modena said:


> The Port of Long Beach is pronounced Long Beach. The Port of _Los Angeles_ is San PEE-dro. If you go to San Pedro looking for a ship which docks at Port of Long Beach, you'll miss your vacay.
> 
> Fern



Ooops!  You're right.

Fortunately, I never missed my ship from being confused about that.  It was a Navy destroyer (USS Turner Joy of Gulf of Tonkin Incident fame) out on the mole at the Naval Station Long Beach.

No vacations back then.  Had to take leave to get a weekend off!


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## madduag (Oct 15, 2014)

All these posts made me chuckle....

And it's Illinoi, not Illinois, the "s" is silent and yes I hear this from Americans when I made calls. I mean really, you are a citizen of the US and can't even pronounce this state??   Wow...


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## chapjim (Oct 26, 2014)

Somebody sometime try to explain Kansas and Arkansas.


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## BocaBoy (Oct 26, 2014)

bjones9942 said:


> Dave - the reason so many people here say 'Warshington' is because they're transplants from other areas.  My mother was from Iowa and I could never break her of saying it that way.



I grew up in Iowa and lived there until my early twenties.  Never once did I hear anyone say "Warshington."  Maybe your mother said it that way, but it is definitely NOT Iowa pronunciation.


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## PigsDad (Oct 26, 2014)

BocaBoy said:


> I grew up in Iowa and lived there until my early twenties.  Never once did I hear anyone say "Warshington."  Maybe your mother said it that way, but it is definitely NOT Iowa pronunciation.


The only friends I know from Iowa "warsh" their car.  My mom (grew up in ND / MN) "warshes" clothes.  Funny thing though, that pronunciation did not carry on to myself or my three siblings.

Kurt


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## Helene4 (Oct 29, 2014)

Lawn-guy-lin. Not     Long-GUY-land


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## Helene4 (Oct 29, 2014)

In Queens....burl the water, turlet paper, and the earl burner man.


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## Passepartout (Oct 29, 2014)

My DW, a native of Madison, pronounces another Wisconsin city, M'waukie. But I'm not sure about the locals.


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## joewillie12 (Oct 29, 2014)

Can't forget Greenwich Village in NYC. Locals call it just "the village" but if you must use the G word you better call it gren/itch. If you tell a cabbie to take you to Greenwich you'll end up in Conneticut


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## persia (Oct 30, 2014)

In Mass, Leominster, which my UK background says should be Lemster, is actually Leminster...


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## Bwolf (Oct 30, 2014)

chapjim said:


> Somebody sometime try to explain Kansas and Arkansas.



You are probably looking for something different, but In-laws tell me:

Kan sas

and

Our Kan sas.


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## Lisa P (Nov 2, 2014)

Here, we call those states:  KAYun-ziss and ARK-in-SAW.


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## DaveNV (Nov 2, 2014)

chapjim said:


> Somebody sometime try to explain Kansas and Arkansas.




As I was passing through Arkansas I saw a saw that could outsaw any saw I ever saw. If you ever pass through Arkansas and see a saw that can outsaw the saw I saw saw, I'd like to see the saw that you saw saw.



Dave


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## Fern Modena (Nov 2, 2014)

Us'uns can tell locals from carpetbaggers really easy. Us locals call it na-vah-duh and them others call it Na-VAHHHH-duh. Doesn't look much different in print, but in voice it is a dead giveaway. We're too polite to call you out on it, though.

After all, we're the state where "a dollar and a dream" and the willingness to work hard is all you need.

Fern


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