Detroit Street Name Pronunciation

[bust]

I'm relieved there remains disagreement about some of these pronunciations. Especially since they are obvious mispronunciations of the originals. Historically, the way people said these names must have been varied and changing to get to where they have. Back when Detroit was collecting a lot more immigrants [[whether from Pennsylvania or Transylvania) hearing that variety must have been much more common. Speak to some immigrants and you'll still find variety today. Local / family / cultural accents are a simple indication of differences in perspective. This gets back to some points raised in the 'Detroit out-migration, in-migration, and the "other"' thread before it derailed.

It's amazing all the ways people say DeKalb within a few blocks of it in Brooklyn. It's a mistake to think there is a specific "New York accent". When people mention it I think "which one?". What they mean of course is the one they consider "typical". But what's typical is a matter of opinion. Even within a common ethnic group there there are differences by neighborhood and recency to the location. It's still a city very in flux, with people like and unlike me constantly moving in and messing things up. I really like that.

My family says a version of LAHser sometimes with a hint of LAHzher [[parents didn't agree), and it was a word frequent in our vocabulary. But those are just two ways.

[missn]

I'm relieved there remains disagreement about some of these pronunciations. Especially since they are obvious mispronunciations of the originals. Historically, the way people said these names must have been varied and changing to get to where they have. Back when Detroit was collecting a lot more immigrants [[whether from Pennsylvania or Transylvania) hearing that variety must have been much more common. Speak to some immigrants and you'll still find variety today. Local / family / cultural accents are a simple indication of differences in perspective. This gets back to some points raised in the 'Detroit out-migration, in-migration, and the "other"' thread before it derailed.

It's amazing all the ways people say DeKalb within a few blocks of it in Brooklyn. It's a mistake to think there is a specific "New York accent". When people mention it I think "which one?". What they mean of course is the one they consider "typical". But what's typical is a matter of opinion. Even within a common ethnic group there there are differences by neighborhood and recency to the location. It's still a city very in flux, with people like and unlike me constantly moving in and messing things up. I really like that.

My family says a version of LAHser sometimes with a hint of LAHzher [[parents didn't agree), and it was a word frequent in our vocabulary. But those are just two ways.

I seem to remember JJABA once telling us the hs sounded like the s in pleasure or leisure. Almost all Westsiders I knew said Lasher.

[bust]

I seem to remember JJABA once telling us the hs sounded like the s in pleasure or leisure. Almost all Westsiders I knew said Lasher.

I recently verified: my dad, who was born in Detroit and attended school there every year until college says LAHzher, finishing it exactly like he does pleasure, measure, and leisure. East sider. My mom, not natively from Detroit, who used it often, says more of a LAHzer than a LAHser or a LAHzher.

Did you know Hamtramck is French? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_F...7ois_Hamtramck. Anyone able to pronounce it, in French?

[canuck]

I recently verified: my dad, who was born in Detroit and attended school there every year until college says LAHzher, finishing it exactly like he does pleasure, measure, and leisure. East sider. My mom, not natively from Detroit, who used it often, says more of a LAHzer than a LAHser or a LAHzher.

Did you know Hamtramck is French? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_F...7ois_Hamtramck. Anyone able to pronounce it, in French?

Interesting question, bust.

I think your average French speaker would be at a loss with this one. For one thing, it sounds and looks Germanic. A big part of Eastern France has Germanic roots and names. He was born here but I can't find anyone here in Quebec with that last name.