# "How do I get to Poo-yallup?" - "You're new here, ain'tcha?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424 "2006-03-07T20:43:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/121 "2006-03-10T14:42:44Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > To be fair, it’s _spelled_ “goeduck”: No, “geoduck”. Try it that way at the Mirriam-Webster site. I should know how to spell it, it’s my college mascot. And the mack daddy of all cites is [here](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_073.html). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/122 "2006-03-10T15:08:45Z")
Interesting. I swear that I have seen it spelled “Goeduck” far more often, and you can find plenty of cites under that spelling on the search engines. But the Wikipedia article and others are under “geoduck”. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/123 "2006-03-10T15:11:51Z")
Look at footnore 1 on this site. It claims that “goeduck” was the original spelling, and that “geoduck” was the result of a spelling mistake (on the East Coast no less!) that stuck! That sounds suspicious to me: [http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/opr/FEP/2004/FEP32.PDF#search=‘goeduck’](http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/opr/FEP/2004/FEP32.PDF#search='goeduck') I suspect this is the prevailing attiotude towards spelling: [http://www.olywa.net/cook/faq.htm](http://www.olywa.net/cook/faq.htm) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/124 "2006-03-10T18:00:31Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > It’s not lan-CAS-ter, it’s LANG-kis-ter. Likewise, it’s not leb-uh-NAHN, but LEB-nen or LEB-i-nen, as in LEB-i-nen bologna. And Beth-lm, not Beth-leh-hem. Now you have me drooling for Lebanon bologna…that stuff is like crack. Mom eats it on white bread with butter. Anyhoo, we have a Lebanon here in NH too and outsiders say LebaNON as well. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/125 "2006-03-10T18:03:03Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > It’s Bal-uh Kinwood and School-kill! I thought it was more like skoo-kull…? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/126 "2006-03-10T18:06:14Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Yes on Bala Cynwood – but the preferred pronunciation of Schuylkil is more like “SKOO-kul,” with the “kul” almost swallowed. :smack: That’s what I get for not reading the whole thread. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/127 "2006-03-12T00:06:03Z")
While watching ESPN2’s coverage of the Tour of California bicycle race last month, commentator Paul Sherwin (from the other hemisphere) managed to jar on this local’s ears by referring to Marin County as “MARE-in” and Martinez as “Martin-EZZ,” rather than “mu-RINN” and “Mar-TEEN-ez.” ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/128 "2006-03-12T00:26:46Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > And Beth-lm, not Beth-leh-hem. Now you have me drooling for Lebanon bologna…that stuff is like crack. Mom eats it on white bread with butter. > > Anyhoo, we have a Lebanon here in NH too and outsiders say LebaNON as well. This confuses the hell out of local radio news people. They can do one or the other correctly but not both. It’s funny to listen to someone try it. Robin ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/129 "2006-03-12T12:31:54Z")
> [@cornflakes](#): > > What, no one from Central Texas posts here? > > The city of Llano is pronounced “LA-no” Just as sensibly, the city of Elgin sounds like “el-gun” when spoken. Also Manor is pronounced like “Maynard”, without the d at the end. > > Manchaca, both the city south of Austin and the road that leads to it, are probnounced “MAN-SCHACK.” Note that both syllables are stressed and it’s a tossup as to whether the ch is pronounced as a ‘ch’ or an ‘sh.’ Someone once mentioned to me that this originated as a Czech pronounciation of the Spanish/Mexican family name. It’s plausible, especially given the number of Czech and German people who settled this area, but the person that said it may have been drinking at the time. > > The Guadalupe River, said “GUAD-uh-LOOP.” My apologies to Jesus’ mother and everyone who has a drop of Mexican blood, but that’s the river’s name, no matter if it was named after the Virgin of Guadalupe. > > New Braunfels, which the Guadaloop runs through, is pronounced “New BRON-fuls” > > The Pedernales River is the “Purduh-NAL-is” when spoken. Yes, it has three syllables, no matter how it may read. > > Koenig Lane (in Austin) is pronounced “Kay-nig”, and the city of Boerne is pronounced “BUR-nee.” Actually, these are pretty good approximations to the original German pronounciations. When I was in the hill country for a visit, we crossed the Brazos River. I still can’t seem to say it correctly. Bray zoss (long “o”) is as close as I get and I don’t think that is exactly right. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/130 "2006-03-12T12:40:29Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > Damn, that takes me back. I was even at the fair in the late-70’s watching Bill Cosby doing a routine on how he couldn’t pronounce the place. And we had a fast-food burger chain that he’d never heard of. > > No way, dude. > > Humptulips Along side Duckabush ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/131 "2006-03-12T22:24:46Z")
I’m from Washington, and everytime I hear someone on the news say “ya KEE ma” I yell at the tv. YAK i ma. Wenatchee seems to give a lot of non-Washingtonians trouble as well. Oh, and Cle Elum, (Clee el uhm) we used to camp there, as well as next to the north fork of the Nooksak River. Up here, we get a lot of East Coasters reporting the news and weather on the local radio station. You can tell the newbies when they mangle Ouzinkie. (you ZINk ee) There is an ongoing dispute even among the locals as to whether Rezanof Street is pronounced REZ a nov or rez AH noff. Between the Native and Russian names, it takes a while to not sound fresh off the boat. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/132 "2006-03-12T23:18:01Z")
> [@UncaStuart](#): > > While watching ESPN2’s coverage of the Tour of California bicycle race last month, commentator Paul Sherwin (from the other hemisphere) managed to jar on this local’s ears by referring to Marin County as “MARE-in” and Martinez as “Martin-EZZ,” rather than “mu-RINN” and “Mar-TEEN-ez.” Maybe he got it from George Bush Senior, who went off on a rant a couple years ago about the evils of MARE-in County, where kids are encouraged to join the Taliban. Note to George: before you start dissing a place, figure out how to pronounce its name first. Fortunately for me, I know how to pronounce Marin, so I can mock it all I like. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/133 "2006-03-13T14:45:38Z")
[QUOTE=kaiwik] I’m from Washington, and everytime I hear someone on the news say “ya KEE ma” I yell at the tv. YAK i ma./quote] I heard that with all the California transplants and Asian-Americans moving to Yakima, the local pronunciation has basically changed to ya KEE ma. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/134 "2006-03-13T15:20:29Z")
I always tease my friend from Troy, NY, when we cross the Kosciusko Bridge up there. I refer to it as the Kos-kee-oo-skoh bridge, like the traffic reporters in NYC. “Kuh-shoosh-ko” she always screams back. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/135 "2006-03-13T15:28:18Z")
> [@](#): > > I always tease my friend from Troy, NY, when we cross the Kosciusko Bridge up there. I refer to it as the Kos-kee-oo-skoh bridge, like the traffic reporters in NYC. “Kuh-shoosh-ko” she always screams back. “Kosh-CHOOSH-ko” is the correct Polish pronunciation (I was brung up learning Polish pronunciation), but I doubt if enough people realize that to make it standard pronunciation. Too damned many people say “Kos-kee-OSS-ko” for both the bridge and the mustard. But we don’t regard it as “correct”. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/136 "2006-03-13T16:02:29Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > “Kosh-CHOOSH-ko” is the correct Polish pronunciation (I was brung up learning Polish pronunciation), but I doubt if enough people realize that to make it standard pronunciation. Too damned many people say “Kos-kee-OSS-ko” for both the bridge and the mustard. But we don’t regard it as “correct”. Yep, that’s part of it. She’s Polish and insists on the correct pronunciation; I’m not even clear on how it’s pronounced locally in that area, just how it’s pronounced in her car. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/137 "2006-03-14T17:19:12Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > No, “geoduck”. Try it that way at the Mirriam-Webster site. > > I should know how to spell it, it’s my college mascot. > > And the mack daddy of all cites is [here](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_073.html). So you’re a greener? Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/138 "2006-03-14T18:35:25Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > A lot of Long Island towns are named for Native American tribes, and they must be tough for visitors. Troublesome names would include Wantagh (WAHN-taw or WAHN-tah, depending on whether or not you have the local accent), Copiague (COE-payg) and Hauppauge (HOP-og). Montauk (MON-talk or -tawk) is one of many place names that are phonetic, but probably look intimidating. But then there’s a bar there called the Montauket, named after the local tribe, and it’s pronounced “m’n TAWK it.” Sag Harbor has a lovely park, name of “Mashashimuet.” When I was growing up, it was easer to just call it “Mash-potato Park.” Don’t forget Sachem (SAY-tch’m), up the Island. In East Hampton, in the Northwest Woods area, there’s two roads: Ely Brook and Alewive Brook. They’re pronounced the same: “Elly.” Confuses the heck out of those who are from away. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/139 "2006-03-14T23:43:35Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Yep, that’s part of it. She’s Polish and insists on the correct pronunciation; I’m not even clear on how it’s pronounced locally in that area, just how it’s pronounced in her car. 😉 And it was so that the men of Brooklyn said unto him, “Art thou a Manhattanite?” If he said, “Nay,” then said they unto him, “Say now ‘Kosciusko.’” And he said “Kosh-ee-OOS-ko,” for he could not frame to pronounce the “c” as a “k”. Then they took him and slew him at the passages of the BQE. Hey, I got to reuse posts from last July’s “You’re not from around here” thread twice so far and no one said anything… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424.md?page=6)