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Houston Pronunciation Guide

ChuckTiller

ChuckTiller

Ladies and gentlemen, I am hearing a growing trend on the air, which is annoying. I was listening to Party 104.9, when I heard a promo mentioning “Aldine.” The promo was well executed, however it was pronounced: “Al Dean.” In addition to spots, I am hearing this more and more on traffic reports, when it comes time to air street names and local municipalities. Are the traffic/news/weather providers to the stations operating without some sort of pronunciation guide?

Let’s start one and hope some of these cats who work in those places will heed. I will start the list with the name followed by the Houston pronunciation. As a life-long Houstonian, these are what I have learned by growing up here, since 1951.

Aldine “All Dean”
Pearland “Pear land”
Sugarland “Sugar land”
Fuqua “Few Kway”
Tuam “Too Am”
Alvin “Al Vin”

That’s just a short list of many. I am hearing PearlUnd, SugarlUnd, Foo kwuh, and Twam. Yes, even Alvin was pronounced “All Vin.”

(The only Al Dean I remember was Al Dean and the Allstars on Kik-r Records with “The Cotton-eyed Joe.”)
 
Ahhh.. Great idea especially with more and more voice trackers talking about Houston from other markets.

So what's the most favored pronuciation of these???

San Felipe .. I say "San Fuh LEEP eh" but I know many say "san PHIL uh pee"

(I had a firefighter as a guest on the KLDE morning show once...and he said if you called his fire station and said your house was on fire on "san PHIL uh pee" you would see it burn to the ground because he did not know a street by that name.)

Also.. Synott... I believe is the same as "Senate" right?

Kevin Charles



> Ladies and gentlemen, I am hearing a growing trend on the
> air, which is annoying. I was listening to Party 104.9, when
> I heard a promo mentioning “Aldine.” The promo was well
> executed, however it was pronounced: “Al Dean.” In addition
> to spots, I am hearing this more and more on traffic
> reports, when it comes time to air street names and local
> municipalities. Are the traffic/news/weather providers to
> the stations operating without some sort of pronunciation
> guide?
>
> Let’s start one and hope some of these cats who work in
> those places will heed. I will start the list with the name
> followed by the Houston pronunciation. As a life-long
> Houstonian, these are what I have learned by growing up
> here, since 1951.
>
> Aldine “All Dean”
> Pearland “Pear land”
> Sugarland “Sugar land”
> Fuqua “Few Kway”
> Tuam “Too Am”
> Alvin “Al Vin”
>
> That’s just a short list of many. I am hearing PearlUnd,
> SugarlUnd, Foo kwuh, and Twam. Yes, even Alvin was
> pronounced “All Vin.”
>
> (The only Al Dean I remember was Al Dean and the Allstars on
> Kik-r Records with “The Cotton-eyed Joe.”)
>
 
> San Felipe .. I say "San Fuh LEEP eh" but I know many say
> "san PHIL uh pee"
>
I agree with you, Kevin on that one.
>
> Also.. Synott... I believe is the same as "Senate" right?
>
I used to live on Synott. Everybody around there called it 'Si not,' with a long 'i.' I tend to agree because there is a 'Senate Road.' Those two could be confusing. I've never been sure about that one.

Here's another:

Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze, gin. (Bad hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it pronounced with a hard 'g.'
 
> Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze, gin. (Bad
> hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it pronounced
> with a hard 'g.'

Don't forget San Jacinto has a hard J instead of a H. <P ID="signature">______________
...co-moderator of the Satellite Radio, Phoenix, and San Diego boards...</P>
 
> > San Felipe .. I say "San Fuh LEEP eh" but I know many say
> > "san PHIL uh pee"
> >
> I agree with you, Kevin on that one.
> >
> > Also.. Synott... I believe is the same as "Senate" right?
>
> >
> I used to live on Synott. Everybody around there called it
> 'Si not,' with a long 'i.' I tend to agree because there is
> a 'Senate Road.' Those two could be confusing. I've never
> been sure about that one.
>
> Here's another:
>
> Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze, gin. (Bad
> hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it pronounced
> with a hard 'g.'
>

As a side note, Elgin, the small town east of Austin is pronounced with a hard 'g'.

HR
 
> > Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze, gin.
> (Bad
> > hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it pronounced
>
> > with a hard 'g.'
>
> Don't forget San Jacinto has a hard J instead of a H.
>

My fav:

Kirk - en - dahl. That's one that turn heads! Trackers from Georgia don't even come close!
 
> > > Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze, gin.
> > (Bad
> > > hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it
> pronounced
> >
> > > with a hard 'g.'
> >
> > Don't forget San Jacinto has a hard J instead of a H.
> >
>
> My fav:
>
> Kirk - en - dahl. That's one that turn heads! Trackers
> from Georgia don't even come close!
>
Oh - and Umble - not "H"umble
 
> > > > Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze,
> gin.
> > > (Bad
> > > > hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it
> > pronounced
> > >
> > > > with a hard 'g.'
> > >
> > > Don't forget San Jacinto has a hard J instead of a H.
> > >
> >
> > My fav:
> >
> > Kirk - en - dahl. That's one that turn heads! Trackers
> > from Georgia don't even come close!
> >
> Oh - and Umble - not "H"umble
>

Still. the test of a new Texan is if they can pronounce BEXAR county correctly or not.
 
> > > > Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze,
> gin.
> > > (Bad
> > > > hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it
> > pronounced
> > >
> > > > with a hard 'g.'
> > >
> > > Don't forget San Jacinto has a hard J instead of a H.
> > >
> >
> > My fav:
> >
> > Kirk - en - dahl. That's one that turn heads! Trackers
> > from Georgia don't even come close!
> >
> Oh - and Umble - not "H"umble
>

*giggle* Except when you're requesting "30 Days In The Hole" by Umble Pie. In that case, the H is not supposed to be silent.
 
> > > > > Elgin. In Houston, it is "L Gin." As in the booze,
> > gin.
> > > > (Bad
> > > > > hangovers from that stuff, whew!) I've heard it
> > > pronounced
> > > >
> > > > > with a hard 'g.'
> > > >
> > > > Don't forget San Jacinto has a hard J instead of a H.
> > > >
> > >
> > > My fav:
> > >
> > > Kirk - en - dahl. That's one that turn heads! Trackers
>
> > > from Georgia don't even come close!
> > >
> > Oh - and Umble - not "H"umble
> >
>
> Still. the test of a new Texan is if they can pronounce
> BEXAR county correctly or not.
>

AND the name of the city Houston, when a local sahys it it is U STON.
 
> Oh - and Umble - not "H"umble
>

I think the H was lost in a tragic accident.<P ID="signature">______________
...co-moderator of the Satellite Radio, Phoenix, and San Diego boards...</P>
 
Sweet Adeline -- from Sirius First Traffic and Weather

Last year I was listening to Sirius First Traffic and Weather for Dallas and Houston, and heard -- on more than one occasion, I think -- the reporter refer to "Adeline" when he meant Aldine.

Sweet Adeline? Not if you're from Houston.

And then there was the weekend in which, if I recall correctly, a shutdown of the I-10/I-610 West Loop interchange was front page news in the Houston Chronicle but didn't merit a mention on Sirius First Traffic and Weather, at least when I tuned in.

These things gave me the impression of someone sitting in New York with rip-'n'-read reports or the computer equivalent.

(Despite these things, I'm now a HUGE fan of Sirius, albeit for a number of other reasons.)

> Ladies and gentlemen, I am hearing a growing trend on the
> air, which is annoying. I was listening to Party 104.9, when
> I heard a promo mentioning “Aldine.” The promo was well
> executed, however it was pronounced: “Al Dean.” In addition
> to spots, I am hearing this more and more on traffic
> reports, when it comes time to air street names and local
> municipalities. Are the traffic/news/weather providers to
> the stations operating without some sort of pronunciation
> guide?
>
> Let’s start one and hope some of these cats who work in
> those places will heed. I will start the list with the name
> followed by the Houston pronunciation. As a life-long
> Houstonian, these are what I have learned by growing up
> here, since 1951.
>
> Aldine “All Dean”
> Pearland “Pear land”
> Sugarland “Sugar land”
> Fuqua “Few Kway”
> Tuam “Too Am”
> Alvin “Al Vin”
>

<snip>
 
Have to agree with the Bexar county statement. It's really Bear county (in pronunciation), but I've heard B-e-x-a-r on so many occassions. Although there are probably legitimate texans who can't pronounce it correctly to save their lives.

The absolute worst I've ever heard is a traffic reporter that pronounced Bingle (B-i-n-g-l-e-y). I laughed for hours after that one.

Kuykendhal is a confusing street name and it's one of those words that's not pronounced like it sounds, sort of like Sherbet. There's no second 'r' in the standard English spelling, but most people pronounce it "sherbert."

That's a whole different conversation.

Great idea Chuck and one every reporter, anchor, traffic reporter and DJ should heed when talking about Houston.
 
Re: Sweet Adeline -- from Sirius First Traffic and Weather

Cybele is that you?
Where ya been?

> Last year I was listening to Sirius First Traffic and
> Weather for Dallas and Houston, and heard -- on more than
> one occasion, I think -- the reporter refer to "Adeline"
> when he meant Aldine.
>
> Sweet Adeline? Not if you're from Houston.
>
> And then there was the weekend in which, if I recall
> correctly, a shutdown of the I-10/I-610 West Loop
> interchange was front page news in the Houston Chronicle but
> didn't merit a mention on Sirius First Traffic and Weather,
> at least when I tuned in.
>
> These things gave me the impression of someone sitting in
> New York with rip-'n'-read reports or the computer
> equivalent.
>
> (Despite these things, I'm now a HUGE fan of Sirius, albeit
> for a number of other reasons.)
>
> > Ladies and gentlemen, I am hearing a growing trend on the
> > air, which is annoying. I was listening to Party 104.9,
> when
> > I heard a promo mentioning “Aldine.” The promo was well
> > executed, however it was pronounced: “Al Dean.” In
> addition
> > to spots, I am hearing this more and more on traffic
> > reports, when it comes time to air street names and local
> > municipalities. Are the traffic/news/weather providers to
> > the stations operating without some sort of pronunciation
> > guide?
> >
> > Let’s start one and hope some of these cats who work in
> > those places will heed. I will start the list with the
> name
> > followed by the Houston pronunciation. As a life-long
> > Houstonian, these are what I have learned by growing up
> > here, since 1951.
> >
> > Aldine “All Dean”
> > Pearland “Pear land”
> > Sugarland “Sugar land”
> > Fuqua “Few Kway”
> > Tuam “Too Am”
> > Alvin “Al Vin”
> >
>
 
I grew up in the Aldine area and I cringe whenever I hear the "Al Dean" treatment from an outsider.

And of course the New Yorkers pronounce it "Howston".
 
> > Oh - and Umble - not "H"umble
> >
>
> I think the H was lost in a tragic accident.
>
Wasn't Humble named after the Humble Oil Co (which later became Exxon, now ExxonMobil). Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Re: Sweet Adeline -- from Sirius First Traffic and Weather

> These things gave me the impression of someone sitting in
> New York with rip-'n'-read reports or the computer
> equivalent.

Ironically, it's XM with someone sitting in DC in front of a computer screen.

Sirius has someone at the local Metro traffic office record it and FTP it to New York - so someone local screwed it up. <P ID="signature">______________
...co-moderator of the Satellite Radio, Phoenix, and San Diego boards...</P>
 
Re: Sweet Adeline -- from Sirius First Traffic and Weather

> Cybele is that you?

Same person. :)

Thanks to the fact that I've changed email addresses (some time ago, actually), I found myself signing up for a new (albeit not-too-different) monicker here on these boards.

> Where ya been?

Long story.
I'm here, though.

You can see more of my posts on the -- you guessed it, perhaps -- Sirius Satellite Radio board. Among other things, there's been lots of chat lately about the soon-to-be-added Canadian streams. (I think this is a good thing, especially since Sirius is reportedly not axing any existing streams to add the new Canadian ones, but have mixed feelings about reports that new chipsets/radios could be required in the future to hear new additions, beyond the five Canadian streams reportedly to be added next month to Sirius's US service.)

Oddly enough, someone else made a Houston-related post to the Sirius board today. The subject header is "houston area frequency suggestions."

http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=589307&Board=sirius
 
> > > Oh - and Umble - not "H"umble
> > >
> >
> > I think the H was lost in a tragic accident.
> >
> Wasn't Humble named after the Humble Oil Co (which later
> became Exxon, now ExxonMobil). Someone correct me if I'm
> wrong.
>

You are correct.

HR
 
> Kuykendhal is a confusing street name and it's one of those
> words that's not pronounced like it sounds, sort of like
> Sherbet. There's no second 'r' in the standard English
> spelling, but most people pronounce it "sherbert."
>
Oh yeah, that one has been a mess for years. People put in the letter "r" when there is none. Tatar in Pasadena is pronounced Tartar. Mangum is one I've heard pronounced as Magnum. On many occasions I hear Alameda, in stead of Almeda.(Al-meda)

We DO need to compile it and distribute it.
 
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