[PRCo] Re: A Last Question on Derry

[Donald Galt]

On 5 Feb 2003 at 10:01, robert netzlof wrote:

> > 
> > Bray-den-ville      <-----  yes
> > 
> > Brad-en-ville?      <-----  no
> > 
> 
> For a time in the mid-1950's, "brain-ville", but we got over that.
> 

Are you sure? Brainville rings so true, even at a distance of 2000 miles, that 
it's hard to imagine its not surviving.  

> 
> I believe the pronunciation was taken from conductors on the PRR who
> called out "LAYtrobe, next station LAYtrobe". Really come down hard
> on the 1st syllable.
> 
> My junior year in high school (1952-53) we got a new band director
> from far-off Hearst Township who, at the first pep rally under his
> regime announced "And now lets all sing 'Cheer for LuhTROBE'" and
> nobody knew what he was talking about. Not only was LAYtrobe
> customary, trying to say LuhTROBE screwed up the meter of the song.
> 

Loved that anecdote.

But the AY pronunciation of such names was once all but universal in the 
American heartland, so I don't think you can attribute this particular instance 
to PRR conductors.

My father came from a state which he occasionally pronounced, for effect, 
Ioway.

A number of examples survive to the present day (da?): Pequea in Lancaster 
County (and Piqua in Ohio) and Billerica MA, just to name a couple.

Don