So why do we pronounce them differently? We can thank the French. Arkansas was named for the French plural of a Native American tribe, while Kansas is the English spelling of a similar one. Since the letter “s” at the end of French words is usually silent, we pronounce Bill Clinton’s home state “Arkansaw.”
Contents
Why is Arkansas pronounced wrong?
In 1881, a heated disagreement between the state’s two senators, one who said “arKANzis” and the other who said “ARkansaw,” led to a ruling by the state legislature making the “ARkansaw” pronunciation official. Ever since, Americans have gone along with the s-less, first-syllable-stressed version of Arkansas.
What does the name Arkansas mean?
The word “Arkansas” came from the Quapaw Native Americans. The Quapaws were known as the “people who live downstream,” or Ugakhopag. “The Native Americans who spoke Algonquian and lived in the Ohio Valley called the Quapaws Arkansas, which means “south wind.”
Is it illegal to say Arkansas incorrectly in Arkansas?
It’s a great law. It basically says that a person must pronounce the name of the state in a specific way. You can’t pronounce it ArKansas or Arkansasss. It’s Arkansaw.
Is Lieutenant pronounced leftenant?
Wikitionary claims that leftenant is an archaic spelling of lieutenant. It’s an achaic spelling in English, but not in French. This spelling was to stick to the pronunciation, and not the opposite, as there is not “lefttenant” in old French.
Is the S silent in Arkansas?
Arkansas was named for the French plural of a Native American tribe, while Kansas is the English spelling of a similar one. Since the letter “s” at the end of French words is usually silent, we pronounce Bill Clinton’s home state “Arkansaw.”The “s” on the end is simply a French addition then and a silent one at that.
What is the difference between Arkansas and Arkansas?
One was always introduced as the senator from “ARkanSAW” and the other as the senator from “Ar-KANSAS”. In 1881, the state’s General Assembly passed resolution 1-4-105 declaring that the state’s name should be spelled “Arkansas” but pronounced “Arkansaw”.
What is an Arkansas accent?
A dialect called Ozark English is spoken in the Ozark Mountain region of northwestern Arkansas and southwestern Missouri. It is a close relative of the Scotch-Irish dialect spoken in the Appalachian Mountains, as many settlers migrated from Appalachia to Arkansas beginning in the late 1830s.
Can you say Arkansas?
Well, Susy, the short answer is it’s the law that Arkansas is pronounced ar-can-saw. Seriously. There’s a state law designating the official pronunciation of the state’s name, but more on that later.
Why is the S silent in Illinois?
That’s Illi-noy—no pesky “s” at the end. However, most Illinoisans likely don’t know how the state got its unusual name.Illinois isn’t the version of the name; rather, it is the French pronunciation of the original word.
How do locals pronounce Louisiana?
“Lose-ee-ann-a.” Four slippery syllables with all those soft and sibilant consonants and so many vowels, said musically and so quickly as almost to pass for a bird call.
What does La Petite Roche mean?
He called the small formation, “Le Petit Rocher” (The Little Rock) and the large formation, “Le Rocher Francois” (The French Rock). They probably stood out because the river landscape downstream of “Le Petit Rocher” on the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico is mainly flat and river silt.
How do you say Arkansas in Spanish?
Synonyms: Land of Opportunity, Ozark country, Bear State, Razorback State, AR, more…
Arkansas.
| Principal Translations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Inglés | Español | |
| Arkansas n | (US state) | Arkansas n propio f Siempre comienza con mayúscula, y a menudo se le encuentra sin artículo, pero cuando lo lleva, debe ser un artículo femenino (la, una). |
What are the 3 main Native American tribes indigenous to Arkansas?
Those most prevalent in Arkansas included the Caddos, Quapaws, Osages and later, Cherokees, as they traveled through Arkansas on the Trail of Tears to present day Oklahoma.
Can you legally beat your wife in Arkansas?
Arkansas. Men can beat their wives, but only once per month in Arkansas.
What are the most dumbest laws?
50 Dumbest Laws In The US
- A door on a car may not be left open longer than is necessary.
- Animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship.
- It is illegal to drive a camel on the highway.
Is it illegal to honk your horn in Arkansas?
Arkansas. Don’t honk your horn at a sandwich shop in Little Rock – it’s illegal for drivers to honk “at any place where cold drinks or sandwiches are sold after 9 p.m.”
Why do Brits say bloody?
Bloody. Don’t worry, it’s not a violent word… it has nothing to do with “blood”.”Bloody” is a common word to give more emphasis to the sentence, mostly used as an exclamation of surprise. Something may be “bloody marvellous” or “bloody awful“. Having said that, British people do sometimes use it when expressing anger…
Why does Ichabod Crane say leftenant?
So, when Ichabod Crane says leftenant instead of lieutenant, the simple answer is, it’s the British pronunciation.
Why do Brits say Darby?
The word varsity derives from university, so presumably at some time it was pronounced uni-VAR-sity.Due to the overwhelming influence of such people in England (that is, the uneducated), these previously unacceptable pronunciations eventually became standard for some words, like Derby, Berkeley, and clerk.”
What is Arkansas state motto?
Regnat populusArkansas’s state motto is Regnat Populus, which is Latin for “the people rule.” No other state employs this motto, in either Latin or English, although South Dakota’s comes close: “Under God, the people rule.” The motto’s use is mostly limited to the Seal of State and its derivatives used by various state officers.
