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-   -   Mispronouncing Oregon (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/mispronouncing-oregon-469520/)

Kal May 4th, 2005 03:21 PM

When I first dated Mrs Kal she had a speech impediment...she couldn't say "no" .:O)

Scarlett May 4th, 2005 03:36 PM

Kal, go to your room!

:D

Kal May 4th, 2005 04:07 PM

Yes M'ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

:-[

Scarlett May 4th, 2005 04:17 PM

snort!
The Yankee is in the doghouse too. He spilled a glass of red wine on our suede (yes SUEDE!!!) sofa.
Seltzer and lots of paper towels, we will see if it worked.
Can you pronounce KLUTZ ?

bashawik May 8th, 2005 02:43 PM

And there's more confusion yet to come in Oreygun! Yachats is proun: ya hots, accent on the 1st syl. Thanks for the word on Willamette, I live here and rofl every time I hear william ette!! How about Yaquina! It's ya quin ah, accent on 2nd syl. And Siuslaw is just the way it looks: sigh you slaw, accent on 2nd syl. Or how about Couch Street in Portland? It's proun cooch! And Glisen will get many debates started, but I mostly hear it as gleeson. Now here's one: Philomath is phil oh math, accent on 2nd syl, once again!!

Don't even get me started on Washington - they have towns named things like Humptulips and Lilliwaup!!

Scarlett May 8th, 2005 03:07 PM

Macadam Street= ma CA dam? MA ca dam?

Fodorite018 May 8th, 2005 03:17 PM

Scarlett--ma CD dam:)

We drove to Seattle this weekend, from Portland, and dh and I were just talking about funny sounding places. Puyallup is another.

Fodorite018 May 8th, 2005 03:18 PM

Really need an edit button here...lets try this again... ma CA dam.

Scarlett May 8th, 2005 03:22 PM

Thank you mms,
would that be pronounced PileUP?
Who knew we would need a translator when we move out there :)

Fodorite018 May 8th, 2005 03:29 PM

LOL! Closer to pew-al-up. When you arrive, we will do a GTG with lots of drinks and teach you to "speak" PNW style:)


Scarlett May 8th, 2005 03:32 PM

I think "lots of drinks" is why you have words like pew al up :D

Fodorite018 May 8th, 2005 03:43 PM

I think you may be on to something! lol! We did have lots of drinks in Seattle this weekend. Maybe we could have named a few things too!

thornphoenix May 9th, 2005 11:53 AM

Scarlett, I thought of you this weekend when I drove up to Portland from Corvallis. I saw the sign for Champoeg park and thought this spelling may result in many mis-pronunciations. Champoeg is pronounced "Shampooe".

Cheers,
Tracey


suspire May 17th, 2005 01:20 PM

> Oregon is pronounced Thanks-for-visiting-now-go-home.

Funny, that's how I pronounce Seattle! :)

Oregon definitely is NOT pronounced like organ. In all my time in and around Oregon I've never heard locals call it OR-EE-gun. The middle syllable is really an afterthought. The biggest reason people mispronounce Oregon is because they're trying too hard, in my opinion. It's just OR-uh-gun, but the "uh" is barely there. It's a transition between OR and gun; barely its own syllable. But you can't leave it out ("organ") - that's totally wrong!

A definite test of localhood is the ability to pronounce Puyallup. We have a weather forecaster up here who just can't quite get it. Cracks me up. Also: Sequim (sqwim).

sequoia370 May 19th, 2005 02:33 PM

Be sure to go to the head of every line you encounter, too. Just explain to the Oregonites that your from the east coast, so it's OK.

Scarlett May 19th, 2005 03:10 PM

Do you think there is a small Oregon translation book available at Barnes and Noble? or Powells!
I will be worried about every name I try to pronounce! This is worse than wondering if I am wearing too much black or not enough!
LOL
Scarlett
(<i>whose house has an offer on it, look out Portland!!</i>

beachbum May 19th, 2005 03:16 PM

Oregonites!! LOL! Where are you from sequoia? That would be Oregonians.

Scarlett May 19th, 2005 03:31 PM

beachbum, so will I be a <b>Portlander?</b>

sunbum1944 May 19th, 2005 03:51 PM

beachbum- I think after Scarlett has been here for awhile we may have to have an Oregon vocabulary test for her-

in Portland -

Scarlett May 19th, 2005 04:02 PM

Let's have it at a really good restaurant that no one has ever heard of :D
after a few drinks ((D))
I will be able to pronounce anything then ((F))


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