# Why Paw-LIE-nah?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-paw-lie-nah/597733>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 27, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-paw-lie-nah/597733 "2011-09-27T02:38:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-paw-lie-nah/597733/41 "2011-10-04T17:23:05Z")

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> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> Wait, so how is “Balbo” pronounced? It’s _not_ BAL-boe? 😕

It **is** BAL-boe. A lot of bus drivers said “Balboa.”

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-paw-lie-nah/597733/42 "2011-10-04T17:45:47Z")

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> [@Mr\_Downtown](#):
>
> It **is** BAL-boe. A lot of bus drivers said “Balboa.”

The reason I’m confused is because **MikeS** writes previously:

> [@](#):
>
> I put the emphasis on the first syllable of “Balbo” for many years, like it was the name of a hobbit or something. It was only when the CTA started playing those pre-recorded street names on the buses that I switched to the correct (?) pronunciation.

What is this “correct” pronunciation, then?

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-paw-lie-nah/597733/43 "2011-10-04T18:34:04Z")

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> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> What is this “correct” pronunciation, then?

Yeah, I’m curious, too…I’ve lived in Chicago for 22 years, and have never heard any other pronunciation besides BAL-bo.

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**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-paw-lie-nah/597733/44 "2011-10-04T19:07:35Z")

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> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> Yeah, I’m curious, too…I’ve lived in Chicago for 22 years, and have never heard any other pronunciation besides BAL-bo.

Merriam-Webster seems to think it is pronounced Ball (like a baseball) and Bow, like a bow and arrow, with the accent on the first syllable:

> **[Definition of BALBO](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Balbo)**
>
> Italo 1896—1940 Italian aviator and politician… See the full definition

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-paw-lie-nah/597733/45 "2011-10-04T19:57:39Z")

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From my years of riding the #6 bus, I distinctly remember that the automated CTA bus voice pronounces it as “Bal-BO”, with the “a” pronounced as in “mat” and the emphasis on the second syllable. But maybe this isn’t as standardized as “Paulina”.

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