Detroit Street Name Pronunciation

**Mikeg** · February-04-16, 06:44 PM

A couple of us are having a discussion over the correct local pronunciation of Erskine Street, so I thought I'd throw it out to the experts here in DetroitYes.

Which is the most common local pronunciation and which syllable is stressed?

a) er-skyne
b) er-skihn
c) er-skeen
d) other?

**MikeM** · February-04-16, 06:53 PM

b) er-skihn

or

d) ers-kihn

**michmina** · February-04-16, 07:51 PM

b) er-skihn

**FormerDetroiter** · February-04-16, 08:59 PM

b....er-skihn

**EastsideAl** · February-04-16, 11:54 PM

B!

At least that's the way the folks at the Roma Cafe [[at rye-o-pell and er-skin) have always pronounced it.

**Mikeg** · February-05-16, 07:41 AM

Thanks everyone!

**Gannon** · February-05-16, 08:06 AM

Another fun one is Goethe...although within one block it is actually misspelled Gothe...at St. Jean.

Noticed it just the other day. [[I know how it should be pronounced...)

**Honky Tonk** · February-05-16, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Another fun one is Goethe...although within one block it is actually misspelled Gothe...at St. Jean.

Goethe figure.....

**slick** · February-05-16, 08:57 AM

[

how about Piquette

I lived on pikette,

its French, Pi kwee

**dtowncitylover** · February-05-16, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Another fun one is Goethe...although within one block it is actually misspelled Gothe...at St. Jean.

Noticed it just the other day. [[I know how it should be pronounced...)

GO-thee, soft "th"

**dguy4evr** · February-05-16, 09:15 AM

There's the infamous "Lahser" it is not Lash-er, but Lahs-er. And then there's Charlevoix too.

**GPCharles** · February-05-16, 09:15 AM

Goethe - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe pronunciation - ɡətə [[28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German writer and statesman.

**Margarite** · February-05-16, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

B!

At least that's the way the folks at the Roma Cafe [[at rye-o-pell and er-skin) have always pronounced it.

Having grown up near Riopelle, we never pronounced the "O".. It was Rye-pell.

**Király** · February-05-16, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by slick

[

how about Piquette

I lived on pikette,

its French, Pi kwee

"pikette" is exactly how it is said in French, not "Pi kwee".

As for Erskine, where does the stress go? ER-skihn, or er-SKIHN? Knowing where the stress goes is important. Somebody told me that Macomb was pronounced muh-comb, and I took that to mean MUH-comb. It was later when I learned that it's muh-COMB.

**Király** · February-05-16, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Another fun one is Goethe...although within one block it is actually misspelled Gothe...at St. Jean.

Must be new. The 2009 and 2011 Google street view images show a "Goethe" sign there, but the 2013 image shows the sign and the light pole it was attached to missing.

**dtowncitylover** · February-05-16, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by slick

[

how about Piquette

I lived on pikette,

its French, Pi kwee

As a Francophone, no, just stop.

**Wesley Mouch** · February-05-16, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by dguy4evr

There's the infamous "Lahser" it is not Lash-er, but Lahs-er. And then there's Charlevoix too.

Lash-er. Nobody said Lahs-er, at least south of 8 Mile.

**Detroitdave** · February-05-16, 10:57 AM

How in the world did they get Gratiot = Grass-shit.

**dtowncitylover** · February-05-16, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitdave

How in the world did they get Gratiot = Grass-shit.

Ehhh, I've never really heard people pronounce it like that. It's more "GRAH-shit".

I've heard two possible French pronounciations, "GRAH-tee-o" or "GRAH-syee-o"

**Detroitdave** · February-05-16, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Ehhh, I've never really heard people pronounce it like that. It's more "GRAH-shit".

I've heard two possible French pronounciations, "GRAH-tee-o" or "GRAH-syee-o"

LOL I know but either way it's too funny , how are they getting a s from tiot?, Where in the world is the S coming from ? LOL

**ferndalien** · February-05-16, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitdave

LOL I know but either way it's too funny , how are they getting a s from tiot?, Where in the world is the S coming from ? LOL

How do you pronounce motion?

**Detroitdave** · February-05-16, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by ferndalien

How do you pronounce motion?

True , true , I pronounce Mo-shi-tion lol JK

**bust** · February-05-16, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by ferndalien

How do you pronounce motion?

Hilarious. Now I finally have a justification for my native french speaking friends!

**Hornwrecker** · February-05-16, 05:15 PM

Be thankful that Go-thee and Frood streets don't cross.

**canuck** · February-05-16, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitdave

LOL I know but either way it's too funny , how are they getting a s from tiot?, Where in the world is the S coming from ? LOL

Yes well it's a lot like English really. In French, «Attention» is pronounced Attawnseeawn more or less, whereas in English, it is pronounced: Attenshun. Where is the T sound gone to? What is the «shh» sound all about? Lol