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

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

I seriously doubt you are seriously asking this question or that you speak seven languages. If you actually did speak seven languages, you wouldn’t ask this question.

[Anonymous]

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

You are not offending with your pronunciation. But if you are the OP, you are offending with your attitude.

[Anonymous]

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?

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.

[Anonymous]

It's

Va-JEN-ya

[Anonymous]

This is the dumbest thread ever, and that’s saying something because there have been some real zingers in DCUM history before this.

[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?

Non-phonetic pronunciation isn't a "colloquialism." Try not to use big words you don't understand.

[Anonymous]

So you moved to a country, decided the people were speaking their own language wrong and must be lazy rubes?

Do you apply this to all languages? People in France are lazy for not pronouncing final consonants? People in Spain are rubes for pronouncing Jose with an /h/ because in whatever language you speak it’s something else?

[Anonymous]

Just wait until you meet a real mushmouth

[Anonymous]

If you are from another country, worrying about class distinctions in pronunciation used by other foreigners (furriners) is absurd.
What rules is how it is pronounced locally.
You will have a lot of fun in Massachusetts.
Cotuit
Scituate
Bedford
Somerville
Gloucester
Leominster
Athol

[Anonymous]

Vir-gin-yuh

We are about as Native as you can get. 10 generations in Loudoun County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

You are not offending with your pronunciation. But if you are the OP, you are offending with your attitude.

+1. I’m not at all upset by your pronunciation and I love British accents. Love them. You will only bother me if you are rude or judgmental somehow.

[Anonymous]

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.

+1

[Anonymous]

Ancestors go back to colonial VA.

It’s fur-gin-ya.

[Anonymous]

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

Or CHAAAW-KLIT in certain NY neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they also call Maryland “Mar-ee-land”?

I know upper class, immigrant, non-native English speakers who say it that way. I imagine Virginia would get the 4-syllable treatment, but not the three.