Pronunciation Of a Name

Annabelle Morison   Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:37 am GMT
There's this portion of Northeast Pennsylvania, consisting of cities like Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and Warrington. All I know is, the name is the Lehigh Valley. I've started to wonder, how do you pronounce the name Lehigh? My sister tells me it's pronounced like "Lei", as in, a Hawaiian Lei. However, a friend of mine, whose mother grew up in Allentown, says the pronunciation is more like "Lee-High". My Uncle Dave, who lives in Warrington, as well as my Uncle Jake, who lives in Pittsburgh, also say that the pronunciation is "Lee-High". So, which one is right? Is it "Lei"? Or is it "Lee-High"? I'm confused!
Travis   Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:48 am GMT
Placenames in English often have highly idiosyncratic pronunciations which are not predictable from how they are spelled. Placenames in England are particularly notorious for such, but such also applies to placenames in other parts of the English-speaking world as well. One really has to be from a particular place to know how the placenames in that area are supposed to be spoken.
beneficii   Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:47 am GMT
In Memphis, we have Raleigh-LaGrange Rd. I've heard of a town in England (I think) called Loughborough.
Guest   Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:38 am GMT
I've always heard Lee + High.
David   Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:24 pm GMT
Yes, beneficii, Loughborough is in the English Midlands, and is pronounced "LUFFburru", or, if that is not clear, to rhyme with "rough colo(u)r". It is a little to the north of the city of Leicester, pronounced "Lester".
Annabelle Morison   Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:10 pm GMT
So, in other words, Jessie's mother, my uncle Dave, and my Uncle Jake's pronunciation is correct, and my sister stands corrected with her pronunciation?
furrykef   Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:15 pm GMT
It would seem so. I'd also like to add that I (a person who has never heard of this valley) would pronounce it Lee-High as well. There's no basis for the "lei" pronunciation. (But, as has been pointed out, a basis needn't exist. "Featherstonehaugh" is pronounced "fanshaw"... still, if even the natives call it Lee-High, there's no reason not to call it that.)

- Kef
Annabelle Morison   Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:42 pm GMT
Natives? Like Native Americans? Or do you mean the Natives of Pennsylvania?
Jaxon   Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:49 pm GMT
Lehigh Acres, Florida is pronounced "Lee-High."
furrykef   Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:59 pm GMT
<< Or do you mean the Natives of Pennsylvania? >>

Yes, that.
Rodrigo (COL)   Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:08 pm GMT
I went there on vacation last year and I always heard the LEE-high pronunciation.
Annabelle Morison   Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:29 pm GMT
So, where did my sister get the idea that Lehigh was pronounced like "Lei"? Was the person who pronounced it that way possibly not a Native of Pennsylvania?
Guest   Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:25 am GMT
<< So, where did my sister get the idea that Lehigh was pronounced like "Lei"? Was the person who pronounced it that way possibly not a Native of Pennsylvania? >>

Best bet is to ask your sister -- all we can do here is speculate.
Annabelle Morison   Fri Aug 03, 2007 3:49 am GMT
My sister's not sure, she just heard it pronounced with the "Lei" pronunciation. I'm wondering if the person who pronounced it as "Lei", rather than "Lee High", is possibly not a native of Pennsylvania.