7

Arkansas is typically pronounced like so:

“ahr-kuhn-saw”   IPA: [ˈɑɹkənˌsɔː]

However, Kansas is typically pronounced like this:

“kan-zuhs”             IPA: [ˈkænzɨs]

Why are these two words that are so similar in spelling pronounced so differently?

Both are apparently linked to “Native American” origins. So what’s the difference in the original usages?

tchrist
  • 134,759
James Mertz
  • 289
  • This is something I have often wondered and I hope there is an American out there who can give us the answer. – WS2 Nov 26 '13 at 07:57
  • 7
    Does the Wikipedia article not answer this? – Andrew Leach Nov 26 '13 at 08:15
  • 1
    Why are Waltham and Chatham not pronounced the same? Why don't cough and tough rhyme? – J.R. Nov 26 '13 at 09:49
  • 2
    I think the question is back-to-front: it should be, why are they spelled the same. – Gaston Ümlaut Nov 26 '13 at 10:43
  • Gaston is precisely right. The question as stated makes no sense. Spoken language is primary. You do not pronounce written language, you write down spoken language. And spelling is always an approximation and a compromise. And as J.R. points out, you get any number of word pairs where the spelling matches but not the pronunciation. Even history and historical represent completely different pronunciations, not to mention object (noun) and object (verb). So it is not clear why you picked this particular word pair in the first place. – RegDwigнt Nov 26 '13 at 12:07
  • 2
    @KronoS Basically because Kansas and Arkansas are based on different Algoquian exonyms for the Siouan tribes of the regions, kanza for the Kaw (in KS) and akakaze for the Quapaw (in AR). Arkansas is based on the French pronounciation of akakaze. Cf also the French spelling Ouichita in AR and the English Wichita in KS. – Mario Elocio Nov 26 '13 at 16:41
  • @Mario, where the Arkansas River flows through Wichita, KS, the residents pronounce the river name like R-Kansas ... perhaps quite a few other Kansas residents do the same ... – James Waldby - jwpat7 Nov 26 '13 at 19:32
  • @jwpat7 Makes sense, Kansas is English, Arkansa(s) is Anglo-French, kinda :) – Mario Elocio Nov 26 '13 at 21:29
  • @jwpat7 And where in flows through Colorado, its origin point, we pronounce the Arkansas River as we do the state, with a -saw at the end. – tchrist Nov 27 '13 at 03:03
  • @tchrist, wikipedia's ambivalent on that point: “Many people in midwestern states, including Kansas and Colorado, pronounce [the river name] /ɑrˈkænzəs/ ar-KAN-zəs, while many other people in Colorado and Arkansas typically pronounce it /ˈɑrkənsɔː/ AR-kən-saw according to a state law passed in 1881” – James Waldby - jwpat7 Nov 27 '13 at 06:59
  • @jwpat7 Um, Colorado is not a midwestern state. :) – tchrist Nov 27 '13 at 13:31
  • 1
    Wow I must admit. This appears to have been more controversial than I thought it'd be. – James Mertz Nov 28 '13 at 14:48

0 Answers0