h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Interesting Artical! But how do you pronounce Decatur, Champaign-Urbana & Kankakee ?

And is Versailles (ver-SAYLES) in Indiana or Illinois?

Versailles -- yes, ver-SAYLES sounds familiar. That could be in Illinois.

I will have to do some more investigating on that one.

- Art

Regarding Decatur and Champaign-Urbana, I believe these cities in Illinois use the more widely accepted pronunciations, where applicable. This is also the case for Paris, Brooklyn, Carthage, Oakland, Waterloo, Antioch, Genoa, Princeton, and Metropolis (yes, like in Superman).

Regarding "Kankakee" (as well as other similar Native American names like "Keokuk (IA)", "Kewanee")... Though I know the local pronunciation of each, I hardly feel qualified to comment on their authenticity.

- Art

Perhaps it is because I'm from Chicago that I have absolutely no idea what the bloody hell you're talking about. I've never pronounced a single one of those places in such a way. The only anomaly which I repeatedly subscribe to is "Des Moines" (deh-MOYNZ). But that's in Iowa, and when I think "Iowa" I do not think of the French pronounciation ("day-MWAN," or something like that).

Okay, and also Decatur. (duh CAY tur) is so much more easily said than putting on zis pretenzious Fr-ench ac-cent.

Hmm. Chicago... Isn't that a suburb of Gary, Indiana?

How does you purnounce Illinois itself?

Does you use the "z" or the silent "s"?


Signed,
the cat from mousetown (Mt. Vernon)

BTW, me father was born in Dix.