In 1881, the state’s General Assembly passed resolution 1-4-105 declaring that the state’s name should be spelled “Arkansas” but pronounced “Arkansaw”.
What is the correct way to pronounce Arkansas?
The Arkansas legislature made a big deal in 1881 about fixing for good the true pronunciation of the state name, emphasizing that all three “a”s should be pronounced “with the Italian sound.” Yet the unanimous pronunciation of Arkansas by native Arkansans and interlopers alike is “AR-kin-saw.” So much for adhering to
Why is it called arkansaw and not Arkansas?
So why do we pronounce them differently? We can thank the French. Arkansas was named for the French plural of a Native American tribe, while Kansas is the English spelling of a similar one. Since the letter “s” at the end of French words is usually silent, we pronounce Bill Clinton’s home state “Arkansaw.”
Is pronouncing Arkansas wrong in Arkansas?
It’s a great law. It basically says that a person must pronounce the name of the state in a specific way. You can’t pronounce it ArKansas or Arkansasss. It’s Arkansaw.
Is Nevada or Nevada pronounced?
Politicians on the campaign trail often confront the question: Is there a right way to pronounce a state’s name? You say Ne-VAH-duh, I say Ne-VAD-uh. According to Nevadans, the latter is correct and the distinction is important.
What happens if you pronounce Arkansas wrong?
So no, it’s not illegal to pronounce Arkansas incorrectly.
Arkansas is french, and the trailing “s” is therefore silent. This is why the official pronunciation of Arkansas sounds more like the original Native American word.
How do you pronounce Kansas and Arkansas?
How many times have you encountered two seemingly very close names pronounced quite differently? Except for the prefix AR-, we spell Kansas and Arkansas the same. Yet, Arkansas is pronounced as AR-kən-saw, while Kansas is pronounced as KAN-zəs.
What does Kansas mean in Native American?
people of the south wind
Kansas gets its name from the Native American Kaws or Kansa people, also a Sioux tribe. They derived the name from the Sioux word for “southwind.” The Kansa people are also referred to as “people of the south wind.”
Which came first Arkansas or Kansas?
Order of States’ Admission
| Order | State | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 31. | California | Sept. 9, 1850 |
| 32. | Minnesota | May 11, 1858 |
| 33. | Oregon | Feb. 14, 1859 |
| 34. | Kansas | Jan. 29, 1861 |
What are people from Arkansas called?
Although “Arkansan” has become the standard usage, some of the state’s best-known writers have argued in favor of “Arkansawyer.” To confuse the issue further, another term, Arkansians, was used even earlier than either Arkansawyer or Arkansan.
How did Little Rock Arkansas get its name?
Almost 200 years later, French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe came upon a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River. He named the rock formation “la Petite Roche”—the little Rock.
How do you pronounce Hawaii?
Hawaii is properly spelled Hawai’i where the apostrophe indicates what is called a glottal stop. A glottal stop is a momentary pause in the flow of air, like between the syllables of the interjection uh-oh. The correct pronunciation is huh-WAH-ee with a glottal stop.
How do you pronounce New Orleans?
You may have heard the proper way to pronounce New Orleans is “NAW-lins,” but locals will tell you that’s not the case. “New Or-LEENZ,” with a long E sound, is also off the mark. Most locals opt for the simple “New OR-lins,” and some even say it with four syllables: “New AHL-lee-ins.
Why is Arkansas Spelt?
In 1881, the Legislature passed a resolution that the spelling would be “Arkansas” and the pronunciation “Arkansaw.” Lawmakers said it preserved the memory of the original residents of the state and honored the French explorers.
What are weird laws in Arkansas?
Absurd Arkansas Laws: Fact or Fiction?
- Fiction: It’s illegal to mispronounce the name Arkansas.
- Fiction: In Fayetteville it’s illegal to kill “any living creature.”
- Fiction: In Little Rock, men and women are not allowed to flirt in public or could face up to 30 days in jail.
- Fiction: Dogs may not bark after 6 p.m.
Where does the word Kansas come from?
KANSAS: Named for the Kansas or Kanza tribe of the Sioux family that lived along a river in the area and gave it the tribal name. The name translates as “south wind people,” or “wind people.”
Why do British say leftenant?
According to military customs, a lower ranking soldier walks on the left side of a senior officer. This courtesy developed when swords were still used on the battle field. The lower ranked soldier on the “left” protected the senior officers left side. Therefore, the term leftenant developed.
Why is Colonel pronounced kernel?
This was because the rank was bestowed upon the commander of a column of troops. This word was then adopted by the French, who translated the term in their own language, converted the word ‘colonnello’ to the word ‘coronel’. This is the reason why ‘colonel’ is pronounced ‘kernel’.
Why is it pronounced Colonel?
“Colonel” came to English from the mid-16th-century French word coronelle, meaning commander of a regiment, or column, of soldiers. By the mid-17th century, the spelling and French pronunciation had changed to colonnel. The English spelling also changed, and the pronunciation was shortened to two syllables.
How do you pronounce Nevada?
Apparently, the only acceptable pronunciation of the state is “Nev-AD-a,” not “Nev-AH-da.” Pronouncing the state’s name incorrectly can draw ire among residents, especially if you’re a politician.
Why is the S silent in Des Moines?
I’m told, in their circle of conversation, if they were going ‘Des Moines and Des Moines’ nobody knew if it was Washington or Iowa. So they started Des Moines (silent ‘s’) and Des Moines (pronounced ‘s’) to be able to tell the difference.” Despite all efforts to be politically correct, the mayor does have a preference.
