You say Paris, I say Paree!
Trent and I were talking the other day about how funny it is that when a movie maker wants to make a character from middle America or from some place totally innocuous, they usually make them from Ohio. "Heathers" takes place in Ohio...Sometimes the movie makers even choose Dayton--did you know "Rocky Horror Picture Show" is set in "Denton" a Dayton clone?
Well, I agree Ohio is pretty much the milk in the icebox of the country.
Why here, we have so much trouble making up names for our towns, we pull them from other states and countries. We've got a Springfield (like everyone else). We've got a London, a Williamsburgh, a Dover, a Concord...but sometimes we like to put our own Ohio-spin on it...exert our individuality and creativity by pronouncing it differently...
Growing up I knew about Bellfountaine (Bell-fountin) and Versailles (Ver-Sales) and Lima (Lyma)...but just recently Trent came across Houston...not pronounced like the venerable town in Texass...but "House-tun"
And my favorite...just heard it today: Russia...in O-HY-O we pronunciate that "Roo-Sea-Ah"
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Born in Lakewood myself. Lived in Berea, North Olmsted, Rocky River, Parma, Brunswick, Westgate, Strongsville, Euclid and Cleveland Heights.
Mom still lives in Salem and my Uncle in Canton.
I've lived all over ever since, but Ohio still is what I think of when I think of your average American state.
My favorite town was Hell Ohio...which froze over, literally, in a weird ice storm when I was a kid.
My favorite O-HY-Oism? Nerk, Ahia. (that's spelled Newark, Ohio).
And in Texas, Newark is pronounced "New Ark". Yes, there is a Newark, TX, too.
My father's family is from Newark, OH. My godmother lives in Newark, TX. None would recognize the name of the town if they spoke to each other.
Go figure!