# Call me nitpicky, but it is not pronounced "Los Angeleeez" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 4, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530 "2003-04-04T19:53:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morrigoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Morrigoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrigoon)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/1 "2003-04-04T19:53:26Z")
On the Official Irritation Scale (which I understand is kept by some cow emperor), right between repeatedly calling you by the name of someone you hate and playing country music in public, is grossly mispronouncing the name of your city - on television, by an announcer who darn well ought to know better. Look, if you don’t want to pronounce it Los Angeles (las an-gel-ess), then you darn well ought to be pronouncing it the Spanish way (Lohs Ahn-hell-ace). It is not, by any measure, intended to be pronounced Los Angeleeeeez. Now, I let that fly with Brits, but come on, you’re an american announcer, and for crying out loud, it’s LA! It’s not like it’s some po-dunk town in rural Montana that nobody’s every heard of! I’m sure the Chicago residents can sympathize with me here. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/2 "2003-04-04T20:01:30Z")
Someone better tell **Arlo Guthrie**. \*Coming into Los Angeles Bringing in a couple of keys Don’t touch my bags if you please Mister Customs Man \* ---
**Author:** ![Morrigoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Morrigoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrigoon)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/3 "2003-04-04T20:15:31Z")
See OP, where I mention country music 😉 Seriously though, the last two shows in a row on the history channel have had this fuckwit of an announcer. I mean, the story of the night stalker is interesting and all, but it’s REALLY grating on me at this point. Can’t fuckwit at least say L.A.? OT: Ooh, Ramirez was taken out by an angry mob, that’s pretty sweet (I was too young to remember much about it) \<\\> ---
**Author:** ![Morrigoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Morrigoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrigoon)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/4 "2003-04-04T20:23:29Z")
For the record: the next one was also about LA, and fuckwit announcer finally said LA for a change. ---
**Author:** ![SouthernSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@SouthernSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouthernSky)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/5 "2003-04-04T21:47:07Z")
Sort of like people calling Atlanta “Hotlanta”. It’s only mildly annoying, and if that’s the worst thing to happen all week, then I’ve had an excellent week. Now, when someone says “…IRREGARDLESS”, that’s when my panties get in a twist, and my face goes into full Vlasic mode. ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/6 "2003-04-05T00:49:23Z")
Arlo Guthrie = country music? ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/7 "2003-04-05T01:34:26Z")
You must be young, \*\* Morrigoon\*\*, if you don’t remember the late Sam Yorty (“Mayor Sam”) who always called it Los Angeleeez. If it pissed anybody off, it didn’t stop them from keeping him in office for twelve years (1961-1973). It always jarred me a little to hear it, but it’s better than a president who says NU-KEW-LER. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/8 "2003-04-05T02:02:29Z")
Better tell Tom Petty, too : _Waiting by the side of the road for day to break so we can go down into Los Angeles with dirty hands and worn-out knees_ It’s almost like people in El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula want to change things all of a sudden! ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/9 "2003-04-05T02:25:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SouthernSky \* > \*\*Sort of like people calling Atlanta “Hotlanta”. It’s only mildly annoying, and if that’s the worst thing to happen all week, then I’ve had an excellent week. > > Now, when someone says “…IRREGARDLESS”, that’s when my panties get in a twist, and my face goes into full Vlasic mode. \*\* Irregardless of this… ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/10 "2003-04-05T07:06:25Z")
Don’t call it Frisco, despite “California Love.” ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/11 "2003-04-05T07:13:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by panamajack \* > \*\*It’s almost like people in El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula want to change things all of a sudden! \*\* Sing it, **pj**! ---
**Author:** ![kawliga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@kawliga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kawliga)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/12 "2003-04-05T08:56:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DesertGeezer \* > **You must be young, \*\* Morrigoon** , if you don’t remember the late Sam Yorty (“Mayor Sam”) who always called it Los Angeleeez. If it pissed anybody off, it didn’t stop them from keeping him in office for twelve years (1961-1973). > \*\* I remember Mayor Sam. I’m pretty sure he pronounced it “Los Angle-less”. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/13 "2003-04-05T09:08:50Z")
I’ll second Desert Geezer. I don’t remember Sam Yorty, but some oldsters I know (who are natives of L.A.) pronounce it “Los Angeleeez” or “Los An-gulus”. (The “g” is like in “gus”.) I think I’ve heard it pronounced this way sometimes in old movies. I haven’t kept track, though. These other pronunciations also sound “normal” to me, because so many older L.A. natives I know use them. However, I always pronounce it the “normal” way. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/14 "2003-04-05T09:27:20Z")
Yosemitebabe, I think I remember a Bogart movie where he pronounced it “Las Angle Lees.” The movie is so old that he gave a dollar for a tank of gas and got back change. How would you pronounce “Knoxville”? Many of the natives pronounce it “Knoxvul” or even “Knoxful.” ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/15 "2003-04-05T10:24:38Z")
You’d go nuts over here;) We Brits have great problems with Michigan (pronounced as if there were a t before the ch) and New Orleans (all the emphasis ends up on the _leans_ bit) among others. I have to confess however, that I still can’t quite bring myself to pronounce Houston ‘properly’. It just seems so wrong! Of course no American has ever pronounced Lancashire correctly (Lanky-she, as in shirt with no -rt, there’s no shire (like wire) sound)… ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/16 "2003-04-06T02:48:43Z")
Worse than “Frisco” is “San Fran.” It’s such an ugly sound. Is it so hard to say all the syllables? Also, East Coasters, that state north of California is called OR-e-gon, not o-re-GONE. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/17 "2003-04-06T03:15:27Z")
It’s better than Pixburgh. Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/18 "2003-04-06T03:57:58Z")
I didn’t notice the Los Angeleeeeeeeeeeze phenomenon until right after I read this thread and watched the History Channel’s “Infamous Murders”. Were you watching Infamous Murders too Morrigoon? ---
**Author:** ![irkenDoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@irkenDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irkenDoom)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/19 "2003-04-06T04:24:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*It’s better than Pixburgh. Yuck. \*\* Argh. Tell me about it. When I lived in the 'burgh, I wanted to throttle the life from everyone that pronounced it as such. Ferchrissakes people, it’s your own goddamn city, PRONOUNCE IT CORRECTLY! And don’t get me started on the folks that say “Pennsivania.” ---
**Author:** ![Kepi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kepi/32/7251_2.png) [@Kepi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530/20 "2003-04-06T14:36:16Z")
It’s not a pronounciation problem, but you’d be surprised how many times the following appears in print: **Forth Worth** And **Andy,** which way do you want to mispronounce **Houston**? HOWS-tuhn or YOUS-tuhn? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-nitpicky-but-it-is-not-pronounced-los-angeleeez/166530.md?page=2)