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DefaultSubsAreTerrib t1_jeca8mu wrote

Practice on Leigh, work your way up to Parham

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lunar_unit t1_jecb0ah wrote

Then take the master class on Powhite.

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H-Resin t1_jecresd wrote

Good luck with quioccasin

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doubletakeme t1_jed818z wrote

Maybe one day, Jahnke

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chasetwisters t1_jeen8zr wrote

I'll always remember my old Garmin GPS would say Jahnke like "John-kay" and it sounded like how Shrek says Donkey

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I_AM_RVA t1_jecclln wrote

POW-height

−3

9to5Voyager t1_jecdae1 wrote

Took me a good 8 months to say Henrico correctly. Excuse me, "correctly."

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DefaultSubsAreTerrib t1_jecdwzq wrote

Powhatan rhymes with Manhattan. Change my mind.

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heraus t1_jecxzv4 wrote

Incidentally, the group of Native Americans who resided in Manhattan spoke a related language to the Powhatan of Virginia.

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9to5Voyager t1_jecg92o wrote

And I'm sorry, but Henrico is Henreeco. Fight me.

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JCSterlace t1_jecla51 wrote

Hello are you a GPS

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BabyBat07 t1_jecojbw wrote

I argued with my GPS for far too long about how to pronounce Henrico, it kept thinking I was saying the words “hen right go”

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connor8383 t1_jedzkmx wrote

The way I learned was by watching the video posted on the county website about living here. You can choose to live in ignorance, but answers are readily available to you.

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weirdbri t1_jec9a7j wrote

Like Sean Connery: Leash Treat

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BurkeyTurger t1_jec5wnm wrote

Lee like Bruce or the chicken place.

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dspencer97 t1_jeccvji wrote

I’d understand if you asked about Powhite or Jahnke, but Leigh is fairly easy to grasp to me.

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KikiSparklexx t1_jecozgy wrote

How do you personally pronounce jahnke?

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Ditovontease t1_jecp535 wrote

The correct way would be “yonka” but it’s jank

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KikiSparklexx t1_jecqtw1 wrote

Yeah I say jank but my gps says it weird so I figured there was a “correct” way that one one actually says except a gps

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bsh008 t1_jed9df4 wrote

what it's not pronounced Jane-key?

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jennbo t1_jeeh0sa wrote

i'm from Tennessee but have been here since 2014.... jane-key is how I've said it... whoops

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nfojones t1_jees9r8 wrote

Its jay-nk but honestly ever since folks reported how their car navigation systems pronounce it I have adopted Jon-Kay for its regalness.

1

HITTWF t1_jegecag wrote

Mine says “yawn-kay” and I love it.

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JackieBlue1970 t1_jecr6xt wrote

Native born Richmonder here. We pronounced it Lee. Parham is pronounced “Pair-‘em” and Powhite is pronounced Po-White, at least from the 1940s. There was never any controversy about the pronunciations until the 1980s, making the alternates a newish phenomenon. Coincidentally, the 1980s is when growth seemed to really take off in the area and lots of people moved from other places. Probably where the pronunciation conflict stems from. Of course, perhaps it was just not mentioned in the media at the time and, of course, no social media.

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meskigski t1_jec8bcj wrote

I remember my first time on Leigh Street many moons ago... I pronounced it lay and was basically laughed out the room

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WarbossWalton t1_jecuje2 wrote

It makes sense though! Why does it not rhyme with "sleigh"? English is stupid.

0

healing_gourd t1_jedbtv2 wrote

Leigh comes from traditional English, sleigh comes from American English. Part of the reason English behaves stupidly is because we have massive groups separated by time and giant oceans all contributing to it, hah.

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meskigski t1_jedxb13 wrote

If you really want to mess people up, S. LEIGH ST

1

I_AM_RVA t1_jeccns9 wrote

NOW DO FAUQUIER

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couch_lockRVA t1_jeelcw1 wrote

Fall-Kyeer

1

I_AM_RVA t1_jeer7ic wrote

I only say Fow-kweee-aye. Or sometimes fork-kwee-aire. I do this to keep people on their toes.

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couch_lockRVA t1_jees5xd wrote

Lol I was born there. Google voice thinks I’m asking for f* your county

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I_AM_RVA t1_jeesb55 wrote

Well that makes sense because every time I try to go to fuck your county google maps sends me to Bellevue!!!

0

fanrva t1_jec781k wrote

Lee. I could be wrong, but I’ve always seen it as the female form of the name Lee. Possibly because I grew up with a girl named Leigh.

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sirensinger17 t1_jechaww wrote

As someone named Leigh, it's pronounced Lee

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WontArnett t1_jecaghk wrote

I new a dude named Leigh. He was a douche bag.

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ActuallyRobbie t1_jecdnjs wrote

I think I knew the same guy.

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WontArnett t1_jecon0p wrote

There’s just something about the name Leigh/ Lee for dudes, I think.

1

ActuallyRobbie t1_jecpsad wrote

So, full disclosure, my middle name is Lee. But it’s like, a middle name. You don’t start with that.

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WontArnett t1_jecyryr wrote

That’s a different story. You’re good. 😂

1

rabit_stroker t1_jecceez wrote

If you're prignally from RIC you'd know its Lasagna

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Proper-Ad4006 t1_jecn0co wrote

Bum-pass, bump-ass, or bump-is

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Walters0bchak241 t1_jec77sq wrote

Lay? Nah. I did start pronouncing Decatur as Day Kah Tour. Like a fancy dragonborn.

3

Horror-Antelope4256 t1_jec8n09 wrote

Leeeeeee. I have a neighbor who has lived on Leigh for like 50 years, she says leeeeee

3

crankybitch2022 t1_jedzk3v wrote

And how about Botetourt? 🤣

3

tt2ps t1_jeeuk6w wrote

I had this same thought as I was scrolling down the responses. Family is from the Eagle Rock/Fincastle/Troutville area in Botetourt. Buchanan (town) is another one in that county that folks mispronounce.

1

Available-Reward-912 t1_jecrn4p wrote

😅 Cracking up, remembering a new to RVA TV reporter pronouncing The Fuqua School, while doing the snow closings.

2

VA_Wineaux t1_jedyy8l wrote

I went to that school and loved all of the variations I heard

1

connor8383 t1_jedzylk wrote

NC native here, I’m also a UNC alum and duke named their business school the Fuqua school of business. The interactions I’ve had with their alums has led me to call it the fuckwad school of business instead.

In NC, there’s also a town called Fuquay-Varina. Pronounced “few-qway va-ree-nuh” but it makes you feel like you’re saying something dirty every time

3

VA_Wineaux t1_jee18n2 wrote

There's an area north of Richmond, VA named Varina...but it's pronounced the anatomical way. Not to be confused with the small town in Buckingham County named Wingina.

−1

throddlerx2 t1_jeh4il6 wrote

And the name Varina is from Varina Davis - First Lady of the Confederacy. She does have a pretty grave at Hollywood Cemetery! There is also a town called Regina, VA (with a long I), where the airborne Ebola outbreak happened. The funny thing is when I was teaching my Bio students about the Ebola outbreak in Regina, they giggled at the name. I reminded them that they were in Varina high school. 🤣

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TheFakePlissken t1_jecnk3d wrote

Semmes is a good one.

1

KikiSparklexx t1_jecp6og wrote

That one seems self explanatory to me

1

TheFakePlissken t1_jecpc9f wrote

Could be one syllable or two.

−2

Squidward_2566 t1_jecvgxg wrote

I recently learned the correct way to say Decatur. For the longest time I was saying "deca-tour."

1

ceededcrotch t1_jeelc3u wrote

i lived in Charlottesville for a couple of years and the one there to watch out for is rio road.

1

Far_Cupcake_530 t1_jeesio9 wrote

I have never heard anyone pronounce it as "Lay" street.

1

ploymahloy t1_jegxobr wrote

If anyone tells you it’s “lay” street they have brain damage and eat ketchup straight from the bottle.

1

Technical_Way_6041 t1_jeh1j34 wrote

“Lay” street. I also over enunciate the ending T in Three Chopt. Just to stir the pot.

1

el_plandito t1_jec8ygi wrote

It’s Leaf Street, ya newbie!

0

memorex00 t1_jecl41x wrote

What are ya a-doin'? everyone know it’s done called lee street. Give me ayy break.

0

[deleted] t1_jecqfrg wrote

[removed]

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rva-ModTeam t1_jecv7aa wrote

This content has been removed as it is considered rabble rousing, trolling, brigading, and/or inauthentic discourse. We encourage good-faith discussions from anyone, but we do not like jerks. If you're going to be the Jerk of the Year, please don't do that here.

Do not use alt or brand new throwaway accounts to manipulate votes, attack another user, avoid a previous ban or moderator action, or artificially-inflate comments with similar views.

0

a_cycle_addict t1_jeeknnf wrote

I read it as lay. I try to say it as Lee.

But like sleigh and neigh

0

Pizzabeercigs t1_jefc9wb wrote

Richmond has a Lee Ave, so when pronouncing Leigh St as Lee, you should really specify if it is Ave or Street.

0

JustineLeah t1_jefmxl4 wrote

Leigh is pronounced as Lee. It’s the feminine version.

0

The_Kentwood_Farms t1_jee5vsp wrote

I called it "Lay" when I first moved down here, until I was ridiculed enough to start calling it "Lee". "Hen-ree-co" was another one I got wrong before being corrected.

−1

jennbo t1_jeego4q wrote

lol the downvotes on this thread for pronunciation like someone's said a problematic slur or something

−1

McGurganatorZX t1_jee5w5e wrote

I typically use "Lee" but I've def heard both and I'm all for both

−2

spicychickenandranch t1_jed1rc8 wrote

I pronounce Parham as Par-ham idk why even tho I know it’s wrong. Powhite as Po-White and Jahnke as John-Key. I’m sure as hell might be downvoted but I’m not from here so 🤷🏻‍♀️

−5

DeezEyez t1_jee80ld wrote

1/3. Pair’em (like a bastardized version of poker), Po—White (as in trash), and Jank (rhymes with wank).

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predicktable_x t1_jecrnhv wrote

Santa has a sleigh, so Leigh street is pronounced lay!

−11

I_AM_RVA t1_jeccjsh wrote

Lay-eee—fa.

−12