It’s an old joke, but it actually happened to me in New Hampshire: knowing I was from KY someone asked me, “How do you pronounce the capital of your state? Looeyville? Looisville?”
“We usually pronounce it ‘Frankfort’.”
I can’t say I’ve heard artemis’s family’s true two-syllable version, but I’ve heard plenty of others from LV natives and elsewhere in KY. I’ve heard several older people over here in the mountains (like my grandfather) throw the “s” in there to get something like “Luhuzvuhl”. But the most common version by far is “Loouhvuhl” with the mostly swallowed middle syllable.
Many moons ago my mother took my sister and me there. We kept asking her if they were giving away free samples and if we could go to the Smack Museum tomorrow. But that aside, it’s worth checking out if you’re into art.
I’m just young enough to have avoided the busing mess. My sister, on the other hand, got bused to Central High School back when it was a total fucking pit.
I grew up in Louisville and pronounced it “Loo(uh)vul” as people are saying that’s the most common thing you hear locals call the city. I have heard “Lovull” too though like Artemis’s mother’s family says.
I got bussed in middle school. I liked the school I was bussed to, barbed wire around the parking lot and all, so much I volunteered to stay there so I was there for 7th and 8th grade. I’m in my early 40s now if that helps with timeframe estimation
My mom and dad grew up in Highlands area and mom still lives there. Bardstown road has very good restaurants, with deep fried as well as not deep fried food (Deep fried artichokes at the Bristol are actually much better than you’d think). Lynn’s is also very good, I agree. Havana Rumba is a Cuban restaurant my whole family really likes.
