HOORAY for this thread! It gives me a chance for a much needed vent!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I see "Pike's Market" on this and other sites often, and it still grates on me to no end. I'm not exactly sure why, but it does.

Probably like most Seattleites, I'm too polite or indifferent to bother correcting anyone on these threads. I realize that people don't mean insult by writing Pike's or variants thereof. But still, it's irritating. You'll never hear a true Seattleite refer to what is arguably the heart of our city as "Pike's".

PS to Gail--I now know the correct way to pronounce "Houston" Street in NYC, because a native New Yorker pointed it out to me on my last visit. I'm glad he did. The good traveler understands the importance of paying attention to even minor things like local pronounciations.

Then may I suggest now, that anyone visiting Portland Or e gun, pronounce the street that is spelled C o u c h , Kooch..not couch like your sofa, but kooch..
Thank you, Scar lett ((F))

Actually, I hate to be wrong. But it is a rare person who can "educate" someone about such things without sounding pompous. I prefer to spend my time getting exorcised about more important matters than punctuation, spelling and pronunciation.

That said, the beauty of this board is that one can pick and choose what they want to read, respond to, get excited or upset about. So I am actually in total support of your rant.

Now, can I complain about various Boston-isms by tourists?

Neo, when I was in Portland with a group, a man from Texas asked a question about "oregOn" - accent on the 2nd O. The lecturer just went off :))

Gail, God bless. You are a reassuring voice of sanity. What we have here is the proverbial "tempest in a teapot": "A disturbance or uproar over a matter of little or no importance." HTTY

Okay, fine, cool.

Now can we talk about "Cali?"

Or "Mt. Ranier"?

To happytrailstoyou - it is rare that someone thinks I am sane - thank you.

enzian--Agreed!!!!!