# Spokane, WA? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 12, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548 "2016-12-12T20:20:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/1 "2016-12-12T20:20:03Z")
I’m a product of the 1970’s, and I have always known Spokane, WA to be pronounced with a long “a”. Somewhere along the line, this evolved into a short “a” even though the name ends with an “e” which would indicate a long “a” sound. People even look at me funny when I say Spo-cane" vs. “Spo-can”. How do people from Spokane pronounce it nowadays? And, do any older Spokaners recall Spo-cane" being in vogue? FYI: Recently, I caught a MASH episode where someone was from “Spo-cane” WA. So, I know I’m not CrAzY…well, not totally! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/2 "2016-12-12T20:23:53Z")
Spo-can. Always. Nice little city, good food, not much traffic, and at least one nice hotel. Cold in the winter, though. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/3 "2016-12-12T20:25:52Z")
As a small child in the '60s, when I was growing up in San Diego, my friend’s grandmother (who was from Oklahoma) pronounced it ‘Spo-can’. I don’t remember ever hearing anyone pronounce it ‘Spo-cane’. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/4 "2016-12-12T21:02:11Z")
I lived in Seattle in the 1970’s and it was pronounced Spo-can back then by the locals. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/5 "2016-12-12T21:58:43Z")
It’s always been Spo-CAN. They said it wrong in the MASH episode. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/6 "2016-12-12T22:35:45Z")
I pronounced Spokane aloud for the first time in about 1972. I said “Kane” for the second syllable of course. I was immediately corrected by the nearest adult. I think the “kan” pronunciation is of very long standing. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/7 "2016-12-12T22:39:47Z")
It’s a regional shibboleth. Anyone who pronounces it with a long “a” is unfamiliar with the intended pronunciation. My dad’s family is from Seattle, and many of my friends in my Air Force days served at Fairchild AFB, so I was clued in early and often. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/8 "2016-12-12T22:54:50Z")
Lifelong resident (except for 4 years in Omaha) of the Pacific Northwest and it has always been pronounced SpoCAN. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/9 "2016-12-12T23:46:27Z")
Yeah, it’s CAN not Kane. > [@Procrustus](#): > > Spo-can. Always. Nice little city, good food, not much traffic, and at least one nice hotel. Cold in the winter, though. …I haven’t even lived there in 20 years but when I’ve been back, I know bad traffic when I see it. Because there’s only two routes north/south and two routes east/west…traffic is bad now during commutes. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/10 "2016-12-12T23:51:26Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > Yeah, it’s CAN not Kane. > > …I haven’t even lived there in 20 years but when I’ve been back, I know bad traffic when I see it. Because there’s only two routes north/south and two routes east/west…traffic is bad now during commutes. “Bad” is relative. Compared to Seattle, Spokane traffic is not bad. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/11 "2016-12-13T00:02:56Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > I’m a product of the 1970’s, and I have always known Spokane, WA to be pronounced with a long “a”. Somewhere along the line, this evolved into a short “a” even though the name ends with an “e” which would indicate a long “a” sound. People even look at me funny when I say Spo-cane" vs. “Spo-can”. How do people from Spokane pronounce it nowadays? And, do any older Spokaners recall Spo-cane" being in vogue? > > FYI: Recently, I caught a MASH episode where someone was from “Spo-cane” WA. So, I know I’m not CrAzY…well, not totally! :eek: Just be happy you don’t have to figure out Puyallup, WA or Port Hueneme, CA. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/12 "2016-12-13T00:34:52Z")
Someone once told me he heard two non-Northwesterners discussing this topic. The first one said, “It’s pronounced Spo-CANE.” The second said, “No, it’s a native word. It’s SPO-ka-NEE.” Both are, of course, wrong. I’m pretty sure my friend made up the story, anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/13 "2016-12-13T00:55:32Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > “Bad” is relative. Compared to Seattle, Spokane traffic is not bad. I live in LA. It’s bad. boom. faced. moded. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/14 "2016-12-13T07:24:22Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > I live in LA. It’s bad. boom. faced. moded. 🙂 I live in Spokane and during rush hour I can drive north to south in under 40 minutes and east to west in under 30. Where do you in L.A? ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/15 "2016-12-13T09:21:09Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > Someone once told me he heard two non-Northwesterners discussing this topic. The first one said, “It’s pronounced Spo-CANE.” The second said, “No, it’s a native word. It’s SPO-ka-NEE.” > > Both are, of course, wrong. I’m pretty sure my friend made up the story, anyhow. Another Spokanite here. I don’t know about either of those stories but the town’s name was taken from the name of the local tribe. Further, when the city was originally incorporated, it was as "Spokan’ without the ‘e’. Why the ‘e’ was added is anyone’s guess I believe. Always heard it pronounced as rhyming with ‘oil can.’ ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_Smythe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Jane\_Smythe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_Smythe)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/16 "2016-12-13T09:42:56Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > I’m a product of the 1970’s, and I have always known Spokane, WA to be pronounced with a long “a”. Somewhere along the line, this evolved into a short “a” even though the name ends with an “e” which would indicate a long “a” sound. People even look at me funny when I say Spo-cane" vs. “Spo-can”. How do people from Spokane pronounce it nowadays? And, do any older Spokaners recall Spo-cane" being in vogue? > > FYI: Recently, I caught a MASH episode where someone was from “Spo-cane” WA. So, I know I’m not CrAzY…well, not totally! :eek: I am from the PNW. I am over 60. I have never heard it pronounced Spo (long o) cane. Never. Always Spo (long o) can (as in can opener). I do think you’re crazy. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/17 "2016-12-13T10:25:45Z")
sign me up for another where the heck do you ever hear it pronounced cane? I’ve lived in the southeast, Midwest and came from and went back to the northwest and never anywhere have I heard it pronounce Spokane with a long a, always Spokane like a can. Which MASH episode was it, do you recall? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/18 "2016-12-13T14:11:40Z")
Definitely “can”. Grew up sort of in that very general region. Some places in the area _have_ changed pronunciation since then. E.g., Walla Walla has morphed into something unrecognizable from my childhood. The real pronunciation tester is the town near Spokane of Cheney. It’s almost, but not quite, like the ex-Veep. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/19 "2016-12-13T14:53:57Z")
In 1969, I met a girl from Spokane who told me that “Spo-can” was how people from the area pronounced it. So it’s been the preferred pronunciation for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548/20 "2016-12-13T14:56:45Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Definitely “can”. Grew up sort of in that very general region. > > Some places in the area _have_ changed pronunciation since then. E.g., Walla Walla has morphed into something unrecognizable from my childhood. > > The real pronunciation tester is the town near Spokane of Cheney. It’s almost, but not quite, like the ex-Veep. Has Walla Walla ever been pronounced any way but wall-uh wall-uh? I can see some accent differences. Some people say WALLuh-WALLuh, while others tend to run it together and de-emphasize the second ‘walla’, sort of like WALLuhwalluh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spokane-wa/774548.md?page=2)