Date: Thu, 24 Feb 1994 09:58:00 CST

From: Larry Davis DAVIS[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]WSUHUB.UC.TWSU.EDU

Subject: Re: local locality pronunciations



Some Kansas shibboleths:



1. The Arkansas river is the ar KAN sas (vowel in CAN) in Wichita, while the

state is AR k[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]n saw. A small town near the Oklahoma border is ar KAN sas City.

In Oklahoma, the river and the state are pronounced the same, but the city

keeps its Kansas pronunciation.



2. El Dorado (near Wichita) is el do RAY do.



3. Olathe (a town between Lawrence and Kansas City) is o LAY the (schwa at the

end.



4. And, so far as I know, only easterners pronounce Colorado and Nevada with

the /a/ in father. Out here these have the vowel in CAT.



5. Not from Kansas, but only the unwashed and college professors pronounce

Cairo, Illinois as anything but KAY ro.