Kay-duh-ross-uh-what?
Check this out: a guy named Gregory Tryson has put together a pronouncer for Capital Region place names. He even ranks their difficulty -- from to "Can Probably Figure It Out" (Vorheesville) to "No Chance" (Kayaderosseras). [Thanks, Dawn!]
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Comments
"Wad-er-vleet (not Wad-er-vuh-leet)"
I'm confused by this one. It's water-vuh-leet.
... said Go Phish on Sep 25, 2009 at 3:50 PM | link
Another one that's incorrect...
"Roessleville - Row-sul-vill"
No, it's row-zel-ville
... said Go Phish on Sep 25, 2009 at 3:53 PM | link
@Go Phish: I wasn't so sure about some of the listed pronunciations, either. I wonder how much he's leaning on colloquial pronunciations. It seems to me that Stuyvesant should have a "t" at the end... but maybe people who live there have dropped it (if someone knows, please share).
... said Greg on Sep 25, 2009 at 4:01 PM | link
Shame he didn't add Al-bany for President Obama.
"Wad-er-vleet" is emphasizing the soft sound on the T. It's not a strong one, like in the beginning of the word "tart". I know everyone around here says "water" with a soft T anyway, but he was probably just being thorough.
... said Ellsass on Sep 25, 2009 at 4:06 PM | link
Oops, misread your post @Go_Phish re: vuh-leet. (Still no editing on AOA comments?)
I think it's hard for native English speakers to say "vleet" without inserting a little vowel sound after the V. So I think he's saying to strive for "vleet", but I wouldn't feel bad when you inevitably fail and spit out "vuh-leet" instead.
... said Ellsass on Sep 25, 2009 at 4:09 PM | link
I agree, Greg, Stuyvesant IMO should have the t pronounced on the end.
Ellsass, "Wad-er-vleet (not Wad-er-vuh-leet)" to me suggests that the "vleet" is supposed to be one syllable which is what bugged me... I agree that it shouldn't really be "vuh" either, it should be a quick vliet, yet with two syllables.
Vliet St in Cohoes, for example... I'd say it's more like va-leet street (but a quick va) than vleet street.
... said Go Phish on Sep 25, 2009 at 4:56 PM | link
The only reason I know how to pronounce Coeymans is because I went to traffic court there. There's no way you are getting that on your own.
... said Dawn on Sep 25, 2009 at 5:37 PM | link
Kosciuszko - Kuh-shoo-skoe
Another one for the wrong list - missing an unaccented syllable in there, in the "shoo." Kind of sad, given that the cheesy McDonald's commercial got it "right-er" ... local pronunciation has butchered the name for centuries however.
Poland in the house.
... said Andrew Badera on Sep 25, 2009 at 7:58 PM | link
Claverack has always been troublesome.
We naturally want to call it clav-er-ack ---but the locals have a crazy pronunciation that's more like clah-veh-rick. They will glare at you menacingly if you say it wrong.
And personally, I prefer kosky-oo-sko.
... said Rob on Sep 26, 2009 at 7:31 AM | link
"from to "Can Probably Figure It Out" (Vorheesville)" - Two o's in Voorheesville. They drill the spelling into you from kindergarten so you can cheer it at football games. V-double O-R-H-double E-S-V-I-double L-E! :-)
... said Cassie on Sep 26, 2009 at 12:37 PM | link
There are old-timers in Schaghticoke who say SKAT-ee-cook.
Once you get on with it, you just say RENN-slur.
Likewise GANZ-vert.
With much less traction but coming on strong are water-vlee-AAY and TEE-roy.
LQ
--
loo KWILL-ee-oh, sometimes LOO-ee KWILL-ee-oh, jamais LOO-iss. Pour Grandpère était KWEE-oh. Fini.
... said Lou Quillio on Sep 26, 2009 at 8:51 PM | link
WHAT?!?
No "Albany" guide!?!
C'mon folks... if everyone from the POTUS to pretty much every big music act frontman yelling it out on stage gives the wrong ol' "Hello Albany!" the we got ourselves a problem.
Please, you cannot call us "AL-bany" because we got it "ALL-bany"!
... said Sandor on Sep 27, 2009 at 2:48 PM | link