arKANsas (P.S.)

[Tom Zurinskas]

I would assume a "saw" at the end of "Arkansas".  That would be ~Aarkansau not ~Aarkansaa.  Why the last syllable is considered stressed I don't know.

In thefreedictionary.com for USA one can hear ~Aarkinsau, for UK it's ~Aarkinssau (stress last syllable).

Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL7+
see truespel.com phonetic spelling




>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Laurence Horn
> Subject: Re: arKANsas (P.S.)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 12:53 AM -0400 5/19/10, Baker, John M. wrote:
>>>>From http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/ArkansasCode/0/1-4-105.htm:
>>
>>
>>1-4-105. Pronunciation of state name.
>>
>> Whereas, confusion of practice has arisen in the pronunciation of
>>the name of our state and it is deemed important that the true
>>pronunciation should be determined for use in oral official
>>proceedings.
>>
>> And, whereas, the matter has been thoroughly investigated by the
>>State Historical Society and the Eclectic Society of Little Rock,
>>which have agreed upon the correct pronunciation as derived from
>>history and the early usage of the American immigrants.
>>
>> Be it therefore resolved by both houses of the General Assembly,
>>that the only true pronunciation of the name of the state, in the
>>opinion of this body, is that received by the French from the native
>>Indians and committed to writing in the French word representing the
>>sound. It should be pronounced in three (3) syllables, with the
>>final "s" silent, the "a" in each syllable with the Italian sound,
>>and the accent on the first and last syllables.
>
> Oops, I see what you're getting at. Nobody pronounces the last two
> "a"s of Arkansas "with the Italian sound". The first one, yes.
> Guess the legislators got carried away.
>
> LH
>
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