Fixing the Pronunciation of Arkansas--Senator Johnson's Great Speech

[Baker, John]

        For a fuller version of the mythical Senator Johnson's speech, see

http://snafu.freedom.org/pub/arkansaw-history.html

        According to this source, the Arkansas legislature in 1881 voted by concurrent resolution that the pronunciation of Arkansas should be "that received by the French from the Native Indians, and committed in writing by the French word representing the sound; and in accordance with same it should be pronounced in three syllables, with the final 's' silent, the 'a' in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables."  I don't speak Italian, but I pronounce Arkansas with a different vowel sound in each syllable.  Also, I'm curious as to the accuracy of the supposed concurrent resolution.

John Baker