<p>@Pocky: When I was in high school, I thought MIT was Miller Institute of Technology (think DeVry). True story. :o I plead “pre-Internet and no face time with the guidance counselor.”</p>
<p>CADancer-all the local kids pronounce it car NAY gee…but some of the out of town kids say car nah gee…Say it like the locals and you’ll fit right in :D</p>
<p>Whenever anyone would say what college they are attending, my buddy would routinely retort: “Well… I guess SOMEbody has to go there!” :)</p>
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I guess you can smile a little broader at this kind of comment–the person at least thinks he’s complimenting your child. (And we’ve known kids who we thought should be aiming higher–but we usually mind our own business.)</p>
<p>I know Carnegie should be pronounced car NAY gie, but I can’t bring myself to do it because around here no one pronounces it that way. It just doesn’t sound right and feels uppity/weird, like how some people pronounce enchilada with an accent!</p>
<p>One of the best things about reading CC is that I can actually offer some positive remarks about nearly any school.</p>
<p>When someone mentions that their S or D got into some remote school that most people have never heard of, I try to be supportive, starting with “That’s great!” followed by something specific (whatever might be of note that I’ve heard about the school) Then follow up with “What is your child most excited about?”</p>
<p>Parents’ faces light up with relief that someone “gets it”, especially when everyone else they’ve told is either blank or dismissive or negative.</p>
<p>^^agree; the best thing about CC has been this…I have really surprised people by recognizing some of the remote schools…</p>
<p>and at a tenuous time where many “question” their decisions, I find that this recognition can be very supportive and comforting…</p>
<p>I went to high school near Pittsburgh, and we all prounounced it CAR nay gee. Actually, the second syllable was more of a blend between nay and nuh, and was accented almost as much as the Car. Great school, no matter how you pronounce it! :)</p>
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<p>LOL…did you ever see that SNL sketch - I think they’re in an office setting, perhaps ordering carryout for lunch - and they say every word and every name with a Spanish derivation with a major fakey accent? Very funny.</p>
<p>NPR had an All Things Considered story yesterday about US universities opening branches in the Middle East. They spoke with some higher-ups about Carnegie-Mellon in Qatar, who emphasized that this wasn’t “like” CMU or “inspired by” CMU, it WAS CMU. All pronounced CAR nah gie. </p>
<p>I seem to recall that when NPR credits the Carnegie charitable organization for donations, they pronounce it Car NAY gie, so maybe we need to just smile and nod about how to say the name. :)</p>
<p>Missypie–I was just thinking about that sketch when I read that! :)</p>
<p>I remember someone with a bland voice breaking into fake-Spanish to say “Tostados”.</p>
<p>Yes, I was thinking of that sketch when I wrote it. I don’t want to be one of “those people” with my carNAYgie. :D</p>
<p>Now pass the chips – who says toestahhhhhhdas anyway?</p>
<p>I’ve been saying CAR-nuh-gee my whole life so just can’t change, even though the faculty all say Car-NEG-ee in all the parent sessions I’ve attended.</p>
<p>I spent a summer in Nevada during college and always pronounced it Neh-VAH-dah (VAH like sound in mod) until I got there and everyone said Neh-VA-duh (VA like sound in mad). Po-tay-to po-tah-ta let’s call the whole thing off.</p>
<p>I did learn to say Balmer when I spent a few months in Baltimore.</p>
<p>As long as no one says "Or ay gone"or “Warshington” I am good :)</p>
<p>Ditto that, historymom. I’ve asked my relatives (we all grew up in WA) where that “r” came from and no one knows.</p>
<p>“Or ay gone” is just silly.</p>
<p>Of course, trying to pronounce Native American names is often tricky. Here’s one outside of Tacoma: PUYALLUP. I’ve heard people pronounce it “PUL ee up.” It’s “pew AL up.”</p>
<p>Hmmm, I used to be fluent in Spanish and it is very difficult not to automatically say Spanish words with an accent, but then I also speak “Canadian” and both US & Canadian pronunciations sound fine to my ear. I probably just sound confused 
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<p>Texas is tricky with words derived from Spanish. Bexar County is pronouced “Bear” but San Jacinto Street is pronounced with a J as in jump.</p>
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<p>Now that’s just not fair!</p>
<p>And please pronounce “Illinois” withOUT the “s” sound at the end.</p>
<p>Ok, I’m showing my east coast provincialism here, but how do you pronounce Oregon? I say “ORE-a-gone”, but I gather that’s not right? (I have never put an ‘r’ in Washington. :))</p>
<p>There is no ‘h’ sound in Amherst, and it’s NEW-erk, New Jersey but New-ARK, Delaware.</p>