So far on this trip, I've mispronounced several important words. Yesterday, when talking to my niece, Taylor, about her annual Robert Burns birthday celebration, I called haggis hoggis. Now, I know haggis is made out of a sheep's innards and not a pig's belly, but we don't talk about haggis (or Robert Burns) very much in the South so my mouth couldn't remember how to say it right.
Then later, when we went out to eat at a high falutin Eyetalian restaurant (one I even had to change out of my t-shirt for), I called gnocchi no-chi instead of no-kee. I bet I could have gotten the word nooky right but that never came up as we were discussing just what wine went with what en-tray.
This morning, while driving with my boyfriend, Tom, I got pretty excited when I saw the name of a town in Maryland that I thought was Cockeyesville. But when I stopped and asked the rather uppety sales clerk about it, she said that the town's name isn't pronounced cock-eyes-ville. It's cockysville, which I think is maybe even funnier, although she didn't.
I've decided, however, not to worry about my verbal blunders as I believe they are part of my charm. Plus, we Georgians are known for mispronouncing many things, including our cities and towns. For, example, we pronounce Cairo as Karo (like the syrup) and Vienna as Vi-enna (like the sausage). Even when we don't mispronounce places, we like to have fun with them. For example, in the South Georgia town of Climax, folks like to watch the yankees drive through the town limits over and over again for that multiple Climax experience. They also like to give their satisfied visitors a speeding ticket each trip just as a reminder of their good time.
One thing I have loved up here in the Great Far North is the college town of Kutztown, Pennsylvania, where my friend, Nancy, lives and where I'm reclining as I blog. Pronounced koot as in book, not kut as in but, it's just about the cutest little college town I've ever seen. I would stay and enjoy it a bit longer but it's just above 30 degrees here in April and I left my heavy jacket back where we were hanging out and talking about how to pronounce haggis, so I guess I'll start heading home tomorrow.
Kutztown, Pennsylvania, home of Kutztown University
6 comments:
Now that was fun. Hate to tell you but for both posts, I miss read Kutztown buy pronouncing a nonexistent L after the K. Guess I am more southern than I thought.
I once saw a tourist stopped on the side of Hwy. 84 taking a picture of the 'Welcome to Climax' sign. If you take Hwy. 27 a little farther west and go about 35 miles you come to the little community of Hentown. Pronounce that one 'Hinton.'
Actually, I think your pronunciation of gnocchi was correct. Those northern Eyetalians can't speak Italian. I ought to know, I got married in NJ to a German years ago (as well as CA to a bone fide redneck and VA to David...I get around or used to) Re: Italian which I learned from RC priests who had just got off the boat...one 'c' is a chi, two ccs is a K. Oh that's right gnocci has two 'cs' Ha, but what do i know, I started grade school in GA. Dianne
Climax, Cockeyesville, Cookeville, and the townsfolk inhabitants. This is why I love to travel through small towns. (i.e. small in relation to NYC). Makes me love the world.
This has me still laughing. What a hoot you are. How's Tom?
Not too far from Climax, Georgia, is Recovery, Georgia (in Decatur County). How appropriate!!! I used to go through Recovery after speeding through Climax when on business trips in that part of the state.
Phil, you are too funny!
Marcia is letting us participate in her fun with aa round robin.
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