How do you say Greenville?

[Greenville]

Bingo, buddy! I am in full agreement with you on this one. I have no problem with regional accents, but there actually is a proper American English language that is clean. From my experience, it seems that parts of Pennsylvania speak more proper American English than most places in the nation.

For those who may be wondering what the heck I mean, just try moving up the ranks of television reporting/anchoring with a Southern accent. You'll be sent to voice training school almost immediately.

[Sonrise]

Ok, I honestly pronounce Simpsonville like it "should" be. I can't explain why I say Green-vuhl over Greenville (although as was mentioned farther back it comes out Green-vuhl when talking faster usually), but I do and that is that. So enough with the arguing, yeah? Handshakes all around?

[Greenville]

Of course. I love this board and appreciate all of the knowledge that you guys have passed along and have said so several times. Heck, I even prefaced my initial comments with the fact that I'm the one with issues. lol The only one who kind of made it personal was CM who suggested that I don't like it here, which couldn't be further from the truth. I love it here, as does my wife.

To echo what Skyliner said (which in fact would be echoing what i said ) I was an actor in LA for 9 years and I now am a product specialist for Lexus. I have to speak for a living, which thankfully I'm quite adept at (my wife would argue that I'm too adept, never shutting up ). When I was 16 I took my 1st acting class and our teacher tried to rid us of our accents (in my case, South Jersey, i.e Philly and Bawlamer, yes that's how they actually pronounce Baltimore) and he told us that the perfect generic "american" accent was in Iowa. Sure enough, almost everyone that I've ever met from Iowa, unless their right near the Minnesota border has no accent wahtsoever.

[Sonrise]

Gotta love "Bawlamer, Murlan," hon!

[Greenville]

That is exactly how they pronounce it. In South Jersey growing up everyone pronounces w.a.t.e.r= wooder. Gods honest truth. Drives me nuts.

[distortedlogic]

That is exactly how they pronounce it. In South Jersey growing up everyone pronounces w.a.t.e.r= wooder. Gods honest truth. Drives me nuts.

[RestedTraveler]

And then there are those like my late mother (rest her soul) that would pronounce "Washington" as "Worshington" and "wash" as "worsh." I used to come home from college every weekend with a load of laundry for her to "worsh." I miss her, but that used to drive me bananas.

[Sonrise]

And then there are those like my late mother (rest her soul) that would pronounce "Washington" as "Worshington" and "wash" as "worsh." I used to come home from college every weekend with a load of laundry for her to "worsh." I miss her, but that used to drive me bananas.

[CorgiMatt]

Is that Green-ville with the accent equal on both syllables? If so I'm surprised. I have heard for years that it is correctly pronounced Green-vuhl with the accent on the first syllable and that Greenville natives want it pronounced that way. That's the way I pronounce it.

And I thought the Grainville thing was just the Upstate twang thang.

[Sonrise]

Is that Green-ville with the accent equal on both syllables? If so I'm surprised. I have heard for years that it is correctly pronounced Green-vuhl with the accent on the first syllable and that Greenville natives want it pronounced that way. That's the way I pronounce it.

And I thought the Grainville thing was just the Upstate twang thang.

[RestedTraveler]

According to Merriam-Webster, either pronunciation is correct.

Main Entry: [url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greenville]Green

[Greenville]

According to Merriam-Webster, either pronunciation is correct.

Main Entry: [url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greenville]Green

[RestedTraveler]

Seriously, I had actually anticipated the debate to turn to how to pronounce the word "either."

I don't think I need to point out that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is the most widely-accepted reference in the world. Nice try, but one really cannot argue with it.

Dictionary.com is a site I did look at previously and I noted that they cite the American Heritage dictionary (among other things); however, they also refer to Greenville, SC as a "town."

[Greenville]

Seriously, I had actually anticipated the debate to turn to how to pronounce the word "either."

[swu_BA_student]

I can't tell you how tempted I am to through, like ten gallons of gas on this thing and watch where it goes. It's just a word, we all speak diferently. It's part of what makes the world a beautiful place.

[connysmom]

Piping in late here....

I spent all my life living up North speaking like a northerner. (MUCH prefering it down here though! Hope I NEVER have to go back!)

When I got here, I said, "Green-ville". 'Cause I was an outsider, and that's how it looked to me.

But after almost 3 years, I'm definitely in the "Green-vuhl", or even sometimes "Grin-vuhl" category.

Why? That's what all my acquaintences say.

So about that "country" comment? Well, most of the people I'm around are more of what I've seen referred to on here as "the ladies that frequent the pink-and-green stores on Augusta".

I don't think it's "country". I think it's "local". And I love every bit of this town!

[distortedlogic]

It may be local, but it is also country. I would also consider "Ashevuhl", "KNoxvuhl," and "Statesvuhl" country pronounciations too. MOst peopl across the counrty would look at the word and pronounce it Green-ville, as it should be.

[Sonrise]

Piping in late here....

I spent all my life living up North speaking like a northerner. (MUCH prefering it down here though! Hope I NEVER have to go back!)

When I got here, I said, "Green-ville". 'Cause I was an outsider, and that's how it looked to me.

But after almost 3 years, I'm definitely in the "Green-vuhl", or even sometimes "Grin-vuhl" category.

Why? That's what all my acquaintences say.

So about that "country" comment? Well, most of the people I'm around are more of what I've seen referred to on here as "the ladies that frequent the pink-and-green stores on Augusta".

I don't think it's "country". I think it's "local". And I love every bit of this town!

[GvilleSC]

In Connysmom's defense about the jumping off the bridge comment: accents and pronunciations are something that you unconsciously pick up, not something you decide "oh, I'm going to start saying it this way because Debbie does!" After being around people from various places with different accents, I always catch myself pronouncing some words like them (to a certain degree). That's how we gain our own accents that we all DO possess. It's not about right or wrong, it's about who you are influenced by and what you hear.

It's not 'country' to say it with less emphasis on the "ville". Maybe Southern, but definitely not 'country.' Country implies redneck, which I view as a derogatory, and hick-ish.

[whitehourseview]

I was born and all of education through high school was in Greenville. I have very rarely ever heard the town pronounced as anything but "Green-ville".

[Greenville]

I was born and all of education through high school was in Greenville. I have very rarely ever heard the town pronounced as anything but "Green-ville".

[Sonrise]

In Connysmom's defense about the jumping off the bridge comment: accents and pronunciations are something that you unconsciously pick up, not something you decide "oh, I'm going to start saying it this way because Debbie does!" After being around people from various places with different accents, I always catch myself pronouncing some words like them (to a certain degree). That's how we gain our own accents that we all DO possess. It's not about right or wrong, it's about who you are influenced by and what you hear.

It's not 'country' to say it with less emphasis on the "ville". Maybe Southern, but definitely not 'country.' Country implies redneck, which I view as a derogatory, and hick-ish.

[GvilleSC]

GSC,

I specifically used that analogy because she herself admitted that's exactly why she pronounces it that way; because everyone else does. I even highlighted that part in my quote of her.

[Greenville]

Sonrise's question about how people pronounce Simpsonville is a very appropriate and valid point, IMO.

[GVLbikeNboard]

I think it's ridiculous that this is being argued over again...

Some of you should drop it. Just understand that some of us will say Green-vuhl and others will say Greenville. We're not going to stop pronouncing it like that just because you don't like it. I don't care if the way I say it is 'wrong'. It's the same word and you understand it just the same as if I said it correctly so it doesn't bother me.