There are words that I think I know how to pronounce, but probably do not. For example, is it Per-meth'-rin or Perm'-e-thrin? Such pronunciation problems remind me of one of my dad's old adages..."don't talk so dumb".

What BWCA related words have you talking dumb...or even worse remaining silent?

The classic...portuj or portazsh, eh? ;)

Google usually helps me - its Per-meth'-rin.

Daniel

I can't remember which book it was, but the author said that "Kawishiwi" is actually pronounced "cash-way." Anyone else heard of that? I wish I knew that source....

Mike

Cow-weh-she-weh :)
An old thread about Kawishiwi pronounciation

Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

When I worked out of the Tofte Ranger District I learned that it is.
Saga-na-ga.

Lake Ge-Be-On-E-Quet and Lake Quadga? Really, who came up with those?

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

i've heard SAGnuhguh and also Sag

How about the grocery store owned by the Zupanich family?

Oops with a Z=Zoops=Zup's

This dam smart phone automatic spell check feature second guessed me and types what it wants to anyway unless I catch it. Geewhizz, II just now see I have been misprouncing Zups ( spell check typed Zips) for the last ten years.

I just returned from a trip where we travel the Louse River. I assumed it rhymed with mouse. Am I right?

NI-na Moose or Nee-na Moose?

quote Mocha: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

i've heard SAGnuhguh and also Sag"

Mocha's pronunciation is the way I've heard it pronounced most. But I do remember an old man back in the '80's that said, "No, no, it's pronounced SAG-A-NAW." I've heard a few others pronounce it that way too? Anyone else ever heard that pronunciation? HEY, JOE, how does your grandfather pronounce it?

I'm pretty sure I've been pronouncing Kekekabic wrong for about 20 years, placing the emphasis on the second syllable. Not sure if I heard it that way or just made it up. Can anyone here speak Ojibwe?

I have a Souris River canoe, and have always said Souris to rhyme with Morris. Last year when I called a dealership in Canada the guy pronounced it sur-EE. Another employee there had another way of saying it. Souris is the french word for mouse. The Souris River for which the canoes are named flows from Canada down to Minot ND then back to Canada. Folks in Minot seem to call it both the Mouse and Souris River, and the local Souris River Brewing company's video says SUR-is. Souris River Canoe company's videos don't actually mention the name. Hmmm.

Ima Lake

I'm-uh?

Eem-uh?

Ihm-uh?

No clue. Never heard it spoken.

Ely, as in E-Leeeeeeeee

Not Ely, as in E-Lye

quote Jaywalker: "I'm pretty sure I've been pronouncing Kekekabic wrong for about 20 years, placing the emphasis on the second syllable. Not sure if I heard it that way or just made it up. Can anyone here speak Ojibwe?


"

I speak some of the language (bungii eto go ninitaa Anishinaabemowin).
As the word stands now, I'd place emphasis like this: kay-kay-KAH-bik, though I don't know if that's how locals currently pronounce it. They might place emphasis on the second syllable-kay-KAY-ka-bik.
Nearest I can tell, Kekekabic would be a corruption of gekek-waabik, pronounced gay-KAYK-WAA-bik. Which I think means a rock cliff where there are hawks.

quote OgimaaBines: "

quote Jaywalker: "I'm pretty sure I've been pronouncing Kekekabic wrong for about 20 years, placing the emphasis on the second syllable. Not sure if I heard it that way or just made it up. Can anyone here speak Ojibwe?

"

I speak some of the language (bungii eto go ninitaa Anishinaabemowin).
As the word stands now, I'd place emphasis like this: kay-kay-KAH-bik, though I don't know if that's how locals currently pronounce it. They might place emphasis on the second syllable-kay-KAY-ka-bik.
Nearest I can tell, Kekekabic would be a corruption of gekek-waabik, pronounced gay-KAYK-WAA-bik. Which I think means a rock cliff where there are hawks.

"

I was sort of hoping you were out there OgimaaBines! I do recall seeing an old book say the lake was named for where the hawks nest on the cliffs, or something close to that. I was way off and am glad to be corrected on this one as its one of my favorite lakes.

quote ozarkpaddler:

Mocha's pronunciation is the way I've heard it pronounced most. But I do remember an old man back in the '80's that said, "No, no, it's pronounced SAG-A-NAW." I've heard a few others pronounce it that way too? Anyone else ever heard that pronunciation? HEY, JOE, how does your grandfather pronounce it?"

The correct pronunciation is the same as the city and bay in Michigan
Saginaw

IOW, the old man was correct

quote Not Joe: "IOW, the old man was correct"

Well, that's how I pronounced it after the old feller told me so. But most of the time I just say "Sag."

I knew a guy some years ago that swore up and down that "Quetico" was pronounced "Qua-to-co". Anyone heard of such a thing?

for me , 2 others already mentioned, saganaga & kekekabic , i got laughed at pretty good from a guy at work(years ago) when i mispronounced saganaga.

RAP-a-luh
Ra-PA-la

????

Gran Marie not Gran Mare ee ass,

If Saganaga is pronounced SAG-A-NAW
Then how does one pronounce Saganagons?

quote Atb: "RAP-a-luh
Ra-PA-la


????"

The first pronunciation is correct. See this video about the lures inventor:

Lauri Rapala

quote thebotanyguy: "

quote Atb: "RAP-a-luh
Ra-PA-la



????"

The first pronunciation is correct. See this video about the lures inventor:


Lauri Rapala
"

Fun video, thanks for the link

quote thebotanyguy: "

quote Atb: "RAP-a-luh
Ra-PA-la



????"

The first pronunciation is correct. See this video about the lures inventor:


Lauri Rapala
"

Fun video, thanks for the link

Ge-be-on-e-quet?

Gee Bee on ih quay?

gibb e on e quit?

quote ozarkpaddler: "

quote Mocha: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

i've heard SAGnuhguh and also Sag"

... it's pronounced SAG-A-NAW." "

I think this is not correct. I have never heard that variation in 20 years on Sag and Saganagons.

quote bobbernumber3: "

quote ozarkpaddler: "

quote Mocha: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

i've heard SAGnuhguh and also Sag"

... it's pronounced SAG-A-NAW." "

I think this is not correct. I have never heard that variation in 20 years on Sag and Saganagons."

My husband, who in the 1950's tripped with his family and Ben Ambrose as their guide, said it was pronounced SAGnuhguh at that time.

How about Lujenida???

Lou-JEN- idda?
Lou-jeh-needa?

quote treehorn: "Ima Lake


I'm-uh?


Eem-uh?


Ihm-uh?


No clue. Never heard it spoken."

Well personally, just my opinion, but I think the real name of this lake is...
IM-A-Mosquito-Lake.
Just my experience as I saw five different varieties of mosquitos there during the great mosquito convention of June 2011.

Just found out recently that I have been pronouncing Zup's wrong for twenty some years. But on the radio commercials they say Zoop's.

Always wondered about Sag, too. We think it's more Indian origins ?? I used to say Sag a naw until I heard it pronounced Sa gon a ga so I really don't know for sure. But I know what I mean! Hahaha

quote JimmyJustice: "There are words that I think I know how to pronounce, but probably do not. For example, is it Per-meth'-rin or Perm'-e-thrin? Such pronunciation problems remind me of one of my dad's old adages..."don't talk so dumb".

What BWCA related words have you talking dumb...or even worse remaining silent? "

I try to avoid words such as this one :)

quote luft: "How about Lujenida???

Lou-JEN- idda?
Lou-jeh-needa?
"

I've never heard it pronounced, but thought it looked spanish in origin?

Lou-wan-ida? I'm probably way off again....

Always count on Brit’s to offer an alternative pronunciation BTW. I am half British. I also speak French. Rhyming Portage with Dressage is like fingernails on a chalkboard to those of my ilk.

Thank you kindly for that!

ozarkpaddler: "

quote Mocha: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

The performer reading GUNFLINT FALLING pronounces it Suh-gagn’-uh-guh



i've heard SAGnuhguh and also Sag"

Mocha's pronunciation is the way I've heard it pronounced most. But I do remember an old man back in the '80's that said, "No, no, it's pronounced SAG-A-NAW." I've heard a few others pronounce it that way too? Anyone else ever heard that pronunciation? HEY, JOE, how does your grandfather pronounce it?"

ozarkpaddler: "

quote Mocha: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

The performer reading GUNFLINT FALLING pronounces it Suh-gagn’-uh-guh



i've heard SAGnuhguh and also Sag"

Mocha's pronunciation is the way I've heard it pronounced most. But I do remember an old man back in the '80's that said, "No, no, it's pronounced SAG-A-NAW." I've heard a few others pronounce it that way too? Anyone else ever heard that pronunciation? HEY, JOE, how does your grandfather pronounce it?"

Mocha: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "Saganaga, This one always gets me.
Is it Sag-a-nag-a?
Is it Saga-na-ga?
Or something else? Paging Joe here to help.
"

i've heard SAGnuhguh and also Sag"

My sense is people, myself included, say 'sag' because we're unsure how to pronounce it.

LaVirginienne: "Always count on Brit’s to offer an alternative pronunciation BTW. I am half British. I also speak French. Rhyming Portage with Dressage is like fingernails on a chalkboard to those of my ilk. "

Huh? Not really understanding your irritation with that. It's a French word afterall. It's pretty common in Canadian English to employ French pronunciations for what should be an obvious reason.

What about garage, massage?

Nctry - nice try
Nctry - north country

;)

With Saganaga and Saganagons I believe the trick is to emphasize the final syllable. And the folks I know who have been around it longest tend to pronounce the a’s more like uh’s. Ya don’t want to sound like you’re saying “bagel.” Well, the first “a”can be a bit saggy baggy I guess, but don’t overcook it!

TuscaroraBorealis: "Nctry - nice try
Nctry - north country

Been struggling with that one for years. I default to Ben when I have to say it out loud. :)


;)"

RainGearRight: "NI-na Moose or Nee-na Moose? "

My dad always pronounced it Nee-na Moose. But nina in Spanish is little girl (which makes sense as there is Big Moose). So the correct way would be Neen-ya Moose.

LaVirginienne: "Always count on Brit’s to offer an alternative pronunciation BTW. I am half British. I also speak French. Rhyming Portage with Dressage is like fingernails on a chalkboard to those of my ilk. "

Be afraid. My 12 year old daughter takes riding lessons and in her mind she's an expert. She's insists that dressage is pronounced dress-idge, emphasis on the first syllable.

Reading this thread on my lunch break and seeing that people were wondering what I was thinking about the pronounciation of "Saganaga" in 2017. Funny! I was pretty quiet on this board in 2017 if I recall. I was busy hiking in Washington.

I always say "Sag-nuhguh." I think that's how Grandpa always says it too (I need to ask him), and how Don and Carole Germain, who used to own Saganaga Outfitters, on the channel, said it. As I recall that's how Deb Marks and her team at Seagull Outfitters pronounced it too. That's my most recent memories.

So I'm going with that. :)

What is interesting is that I think there might be some precedent for calling it "Saginaw" also - that's how Grandpa wrote out the name of Don and Carole's outfitters in his book in the early 2000s.

Joe

luft: "How about Lujenida???


Lou-JEN- idda?
Lou-jeh-needa?
"

I asked a ranger this one, and as I recall it was...
Lew-jah-needa