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

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

What about Virginnny? You're leaving out an important alternate pronunciation.

[Anonymous]

If you use the three-syllable pronunciation, why? Because that is how it is pronounced here.[/b]

Does it concern you or make you feel self-conscious that better-educated people might perceive you as a rube? No. I've never thought about it.

Why does America tolerate such colloquialisms in language? All languages do.

[Anonymous]

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"?

[Anonymous]

"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. "

What you're describing is an accent. And it's lazy to NOT adopt the accent of where you live, especially after many many years.

It's VirginYA. And please work on shedding the accent. I know it's an effort. I've done it.

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

^^also it's CHOCK-LIT
Stop calling it choc-o-late

[Anonymous]

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”

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Virginnny? You're leaving out an important alternate pronunciation.

Hahahhaha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Virginnny? You're leaving out an important alternate pronunciation.

I’ve never heard anyone use that.

Where?

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

I’m surprised that someone with your experience and knowledge of languages would ask a question like this. Particularly one that implies a certain amount of ridicule of native speakers of a particular language.

[Anonymous]

How you pronounce something regional, as in a city, tells a person if you are from there or not. The Lou-a-ville PP is a perfect example. No one from Louisville says: Lou-ee-ville.

Or New Orleans. New Or Leans or outsiders.
Na orlens for someone from there. (I don't quite know the phonetic spelling on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Virginnny? You're leaving out an important alternate pronunciation.

I’ve never heard anyone use that.

Where?

In old movies. DP.

[Anonymous]

I'm a native Virginian from Fairfax Co. (though parents came down from Connecticut in the 60s).

Vir-gin-yuh is preferred

I frankly have never heard otherwise and I also am a Vir-gin-yuh Tech alum.