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Old 10-09-2010, 02:55 AM
 
Location: New Orleans, United States
4,230 posts, read 10,484,556 times
Reputation: 1444

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As far as "Louisiana" goes, everyone that I've heard pronounce it "LOU-ziana" or "LOU-zanna" was either from North Louisiana or out of state. Everyone I know in New Orleans and South Louisiana has always pronounced it "lou-WEEZY-ana" Even the Creole and French variations put emphasis on the "weezy". i.e. Lwiziyan and Louisiane. I wouldn't be surprised if "LOU-ziana" originated as a mispronunciation by migrants from the traditional south.
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Old 10-09-2010, 03:51 AM
 
1,110 posts, read 2,240,344 times
Reputation: 840
The old timers I know use the french pronunciation.
Everyone else I know uses the weezy variation. I've heard tourists use many variations.

I call it the Banana Republic or the State of Humidity.
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Old 11-25-2010, 06:39 PM
 
9 posts, read 33,158 times
Reputation: 50
I'm a Texan and I pronounce 'Louisianna' --> 'Lose-anna'
*laugh*
Most native Texans will pronounce it that way:
"Lose-anna' or 'Lose-e-anna' or the standard 'Lo-weezy-anna'.

Though, it varies because some areas of Texas are more 'southern' than others. If you go to Corpus and Houston, for instance, the 'drawl' is very thick. Very pronounced...and when you go to little towns? Forget it. I have kinfolk living in Halletsville and small towns bordering houston and even I can't understand a word coming out of their mouths! *laugh*
That drawl is serious!

Lafayette? I usually pronounce: Laugh-eh-et.
New Orleans? I usually pronounce it: 'Nuh - awlins'.
This helps when I'm around non-southern or proper-speaking southerners.
...because it's a distraction. It's like discovering that someone is a comedian and bugging them to say 'something funny' at the dinner table. They're usually like, "Wait - what'd you say? How do you say it? Say it again! Ok...now say something else! You sound so southern. Your accent is so cute!'
This usually happens when I say 'Texas', too.
Or, worse: "Ya'll'
Dead give-away.

I'd like to think that I don't slur through my words like most Texans or southern folk. I mean, I do at least recognize that 'New' and 'Orleans' are two distinct words. *laugh*
Well, I'd like to think that I'm making a distinction and communicating this, too. I try.

The only people that I hearly utilizing all vowels and consonants are non-southerners. In Florida (a place with funky ways of speaking), my ex pronounced it 'New Or-lee-ans' and also 'New Or-leenz'.
I actually did a double take!
It actually takes 'extra' effort for me to say 'New Or-leenz'.
It just sounds so ugly. So...wrong. *laugh*
But he was originally from New York and spent lots of time in Puerto Rico (he's puerto rican) so that explains it, I guess. Not to mention the fact that, Florida isn't really what you'd call 'southern' (minus the panhandle). It's just ghetto.
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Old 11-30-2010, 03:18 AM
 
1,110 posts, read 2,240,344 times
Reputation: 840
Just because people have an education doesn't automagically make their incorrect pronunciations correct...

I've been around crackers, rednecks, cajuns, country boys and girls and accents and dialects don't really matter but they are fairly darn funny in texas and mississip, itelluwhut.
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Old 11-30-2010, 06:23 AM
 
Location: Texas
14,076 posts, read 20,526,395 times
Reputation: 7807
You'll be alright in Lafayette how ever you pronounce it. Just don't get out on Hwy-90 and ask how far it is to Thigh-bo-dox.
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Old 10-23-2012, 05:28 AM
 
1 posts, read 2,177 times
Reputation: 10
Well, is sure as heck isn't pronounced New Orlans! And I just can't stand it when people pronounce Louisiana as 'Lose-E-Ana'. Saw a Popeye's commercial and had smoke blowing out of my ears! It's supposed to be pronounced 'Louise-E-Ana'!!!!! When Popeye's called it 'Lose-E-Ana', I was livid!

Last edited by hsevb; 10-23-2012 at 05:28 AM.. Reason: Correction in pronounciation
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Old 11-27-2012, 05:12 AM
 
7 posts, read 16,128 times
Reputation: 10
Speaking to someone and trying to speak like them is so rude!!
I wouldn't start speaking with a British accent if i were to interview for a job in London.
You're mocking.
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Old 11-28-2012, 05:10 AM
 
Location: City of Central
1,837 posts, read 4,354,162 times
Reputation: 951
I love it when people come here and ask how to pronounce a word , and they get 10 different answers . This is Louisiana for God's sake ! Pronunciations change when you cross the street .
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Old 11-29-2012, 05:13 PM
 
Location: The Other California
4,254 posts, read 5,605,527 times
Reputation: 1552
So, how long does it take for California transplants to learn to pronounce all those Acadian French names correctly?
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Old 11-30-2012, 09:32 AM
 
Location: City of Central
1,837 posts, read 4,354,162 times
Reputation: 951
Quote:
Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim View Post
So, how long does it take for California transplants to learn to pronounce all those Acadian French names correctly?
That's my point . Who gets to define " correctly " ?
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