Why are there 2 different ways to pronounce New Orleans? Some call it new OR-lins and some say new or-LEENS, which is the correct pronounciation? Does it depend on where you’re from?
What about Poughkeepsie? Is there more than one way to pronounce that?
I thought it was “N’Awlins”. 
Yeah. N’awlins, or N’orlins.
There are far more than two ways to pronounce New Orleans, even amongst the denizens thereof. I’ve never heard a local there say N’awlins, but my little sister, who’s lived there for ~25 years, and here friends, say Nuwhalins. OTOH, on a recent visit I also heard locals say New Ore-lee-ahns.
How do you say Chi-cah-go?
And I just listened to myself (quit channeling L’il Sis) and I say New Aurl’ns.
Well, at least if you’re singing “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans” the choice is clear.
Mun-Dung-Us.
SEE-dro Wool-lee
EE-num-claw
Ca-MAY-no EYE-land
Che-HAY-lis
Ti-NYE-no
Hah? 
When I was there some years back, I was instructed by the concierge at the hotel that I had my choice of “New OR-lins” or “New OR-lee-ans”, but that I’d do nothing but brand myself as an unknowing tourist by uttering “New Or-LEENS”.
Nouveau-Orléans? 
JOHNNY has a Washington State fixation, to which I generally say – neener neener neener.
These are all Washington towns or locations: Sedro Wooley, Enumclaw, Camano Island, Chehalis, Tenino.
Which have nothing on the rivers: Snoqualimie, Skykomish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish.
Isn’t Chicago always pronounced “Shi-CA-go?”
SID-ni
MEL-b’n
BRIS-b’n
CAN-bruh
In New York State:
Chappa-kwah (Chappaqua, nominal home of Billary and future home of TeaElle)
Sha-taw-kwah (Chatauqua, a lake/resort town in the far western part of the state)
Non, non, c’est la Nouvelle-Orléans!
Puh-kip’-see. Poe-kip-see if you must.
Scaghticoke = Scat’-i-coke.
Coxsackie = Cook-sock’-ee.
Anything with “uy” in it, the “uy” rhymes with “eye.” I’m not aware of any exceptions to this: Stuyvesant, Schuylerville, etc.
Valatie = Vuh-lay’-sha. If you imagine it anglicized to Valatia, its pronunciation is more intuitive. When I was a kid, I thought the Vuh-lay’-shuh that my dad talked about and the Val’-uh-tie that I read on the sign were two different places.
Oh! And don’t forget Nacogdoches, Texas and its sister city, Natchitoches, in Louisiana! They’re pronounced Nack-a-doe’-chiz and Nack’-uh-tish respectively.
JOHNNY has a Washington State fixation, to which I generally say – neener neener neener.
These are all Washington towns or locations: Sedro Wooley, Enumclaw, Camano Island, Chehalis, Tenino.
Which have nothing on the rivers: Snoqualimie, Skykomish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish.
Isn’t Chicago always pronounced “Shi-CA-go?” **
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Well shoot. Washington State is just north of me. You’d think I’d recognize the names!
Thank you! I knew it had to be puh- pr poe-! My relatives tell me it’s poo-kip-see. But what do they know, they’re from Connecticut!
Speaking of New England, I know how to say Quonochontaug (kwahn’-a-ka-tawg) Misquamicut (miss-quahm’-ah-cut) and not sure on the spelling of this one but Wiquetiquock (wick’-it-ee-quawck).
Jodi, sorry I don’t know what happened with my post but it ruined the quote. Yes, as far as I know I’ve never heard Chicago pronounced anything other then sha-cah’-go.