“Vir-Gin-Knee-Uh” or “Vir-Gin-Yuh”? Which is the preferred/higher-class pronunciation?

[Anonymous]

Spanish and Italians would silence the G which is confusing when one first hears it.
"Vur-heen-ya"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my accent (British) it has 4 syllables. I had no idea I was offending so many people!

You aren't. OP sort of did though.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m new to the area, and I’ve noticed a couple distinct pronunciations of “Virginia”.

I’ve noticed well-educated foreign-born people, with whom I tend to identify with more, tend to use the four-syllable pronunciation, whereas native born Americans tend to use the lazier (IMO) three-syllable pronunciation. I’ve noticed the prevalence of use of the three-syllable pronunciation isn’t really bound by SES lines, with people who I’d otherwise associate with being upper-class still using the three-syllable pronunciation.

Which is correct? As native-born Americans, which do you use? If you use the three-syllable pronunciation, why? Does it concern you or make you feel self-conscious that better-educated people might perceive you as a rube? Why does America tolerate such colloquialisms in language?

Are you concerned that your grammatical and vocabulary mistakes in the OP might cause better educated people to perceive you as a rube?

I apologize. American English is my seventh language.

No apology necessary. You seem very concerned about people being perceived as rubes, so I was wondering if you share that concern for yourself. Does someone who makes fun of others worry that others might make fun of them?

No, generally not. I seriously doubt anyone would ever mistake any member of my family for a rube, even if they knew nothing about us.

But if people hear you speaking using the grammatical and vocabulary errors you made above, they might very well believe you to be a rube. Interesting that you don’t even realize that, even while you are so quick to think others might be rubes.

It seems OP seriously struggles with a lack of self reflection. OP seems to think people will be impressed and wowed simply because they come from a foreign country? Which is a very strange concept. I live in Europe and there are plenty of embarrassingly low class people all over, of course. It seems like OP might lack the education or social class awareness to be aware of how theyre accurately perceived

+1 This is the most pathetic flex we've had in a while here.

+2
Wonder if she would make the same stink over the way locals say Chatham or Worcester.

Whuh-stah! Go Goats!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a bizarre post. Pronounce it the way the locals pronounce it, because THAT is how you're supposed to pronounce it. I won't think you're high class and educated (I'm probably more educated than you anyway), I'll just think "oh you're not from here and you're not making an effort to fit in"

+1
Or I will think “oh they don’t know English very well”.

+1
Then I would wonder if they say Kal-uh-for-nya or if they equally mispronounce it and say Kal-uh-for-nee-ya.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a bizarre post. Pronounce it the way the locals pronounce it, because THAT is how you're supposed to pronounce it. I won't think you're high class and educated (I'm probably more educated than you anyway), I'll just think "oh you're not from here and you're not making an effort to fit in"

+1
Or I will think “oh they don’t know English very well”.

+1
Then I would wonder if they say Kal-uh-for-nya or if they equally mispronounce it and say Kal-uh-for-nee-ya.

My yiayia always said California the second way but also she had a heavy Greek accent and mispronounced a lot of words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m new to the area, and I’ve noticed a couple distinct pronunciations of “Virginia”.

I’ve noticed well-educated foreign-born people, with whom I tend to identify with more, tend to use the four-syllable pronunciation, whereas native born Americans tend to use the lazier (IMO) three-syllable pronunciation. I’ve noticed the prevalence of use of the three-syllable pronunciation isn’t really bound by SES lines, with people who I’d otherwise associate with being upper-class still using the three-syllable pronunciation.

Which is correct? As native-born Americans, which do you use? If you use the three-syllable pronunciation, why? Does it concern you or make you feel self-conscious that better-educated people might perceive you as a rube? Why does America tolerate such colloquialisms in language?

Idiotic thread and question.

Do you think it makes someone from Louisville feel self-conscious that some immigrant with a degree might say "Lou-ee-ville" rather than "Lou-a-ville"?

It’s pronounced “Low-Uh-Vul”

I would say: Lou uh vul, not Low uh vul.

Loi-ville.Thx.

No. Loo-uh-vul.

+1. Definitely not “vill.” It’s “vull” (rhymes with bull. )

[Anonymous]

Bow-eye Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Haha tell us more about your “high class” friends who call it “ver’Ginny-uh”—
Like “whinny”.
Or “ninny”.

I speak multiple languages too and have lived all over the world…You speak seven languages and really can’t answer your own question by listening and observing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a bizarre post. Pronounce it the way the locals pronounce it, because THAT is how you're supposed to pronounce it. I won't think you're high class and educated (I'm probably more educated than you anyway), I'll just think "oh you're not from here and you're not making an effort to fit in"

+1
Or I will think “oh they don’t know English very well”.

+1
Then I would wonder if they say Kal-uh-for-nya or if they equally mispronounce it and say Kal-uh-for-nee-ya.

My yiayia always said California the second way but also she had a heavy Greek accent and mispronounced a lot of words.

That is kind of sweet. My foreign-born in-law says Mary Land, like pronounces two separate full words, instead of Mare-uh-lind. I don’t want to correct her as it sounds sweet. I hope people don’t think she is uneducated, she is a medical doctor from Australia. She even has a phD in a niche specialty, so really educated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Haha tell us more about your “high class” friends who call it “ver’Ginny-uh”—
Like “whinny”.
Or “ninny”.

I speak multiple languages too and have lived all over the world…You speak seven languages and really can’t answer your own question by listening and observing?

You can tell the poster is fake because they list American English as a separate language. So I guess their seven languages are British English, American English, Australian English, South African English, New Zealand English, Canadian English, Indian English, etc.

Despite the questioner being fakely obtuse, I love this thread. Really gave me a good laugh.

[Anonymous]

I knew a French woman who taught English to French students.

She taught them the CHI(with short i)-ca-go was the proper English pronunciation of Chicago. She would not believe me that the proper pronunciation was Shi(with a shortened long e)-CA-go, pretty much the way it would be said in French without attempting to anglicize.

[Anonymous]

I am European who lives in Virginia since 2000. At the beginning, I used 4 syllabus, I don't even know when I switched to three.

If you use the three-syllable pronunciation, why? Because that is how it is pronounced here and I involuntarily picked it up at some point.

Does it concern you or make you feel self-conscious that better-educated people might perceive you as a rube? No. If you are really highly educated, this would never cross your mind (I have grad school from Europe and post grad degree from US, several languages at native level).

Why does America tolerate such colloquialisms in language? Ha?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am European who lives in Virginia since 2000. At the beginning, I used 4 syllabus, I don't even know when I switched to three.

If you use the three-syllable pronunciation, why? Because that is how it is pronounced here and I involuntarily picked it up at some point.

Does it concern you or make you feel self-conscious that better-educated people might perceive you as a rube? No. If you are really highly educated, this would never cross your mind (I have grad school from Europe and post grad degree from US, several languages at native level).

Why does America tolerate such colloquialisms in language? Ha?

Nice. I love that you slipped into localspeak without even noticing or making a big deal.
It's like when foreigners realize that saying "Wad-ah" is going to get you results faster than insisting on "Watt-er"
(or in Philly it Woodah but I still can't say that!) Well done. I bet you sound more southern than I do, sugah!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spanish and Italians would silence the G which is confusing when one first hears it.
"Vur-heen-ya"

Not Italians. "gi" in Italian is pronounced like soft g, long e in English.

[Anonymous]

LOL. If you enunciate 4 syllables, you are not very articulate or not from around here. It doesn't roll off the tongue. It's always been Vir-gin'-yuh and you can be educated or uneducated and everyone says it the same.