# Iowans



## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

How do you pronounce Des Moines??

Some of my ancestors emigrated there and I don't know how to pronounce it. In French or American English?


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Pronouced Southern style: DE MOWING


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Now that's a turn up for the book - I had been thinking on terms of "Day Mwan":lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Michele McAtee (Apr 10, 2006)

N 'ifn yer frim Iwa, maybe youse might say dez moinz., er is that the French spelling. Mike, do you have your translator, I know it works better than mine! lol.

Seriously Gillian, it is pronounced deh moin.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Michelle, aha! French pronunciation then!!

Anyone from Deh moin??


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

more importantly why does it matter? It's Iowa... nobody goes there unless you have something to do with pigs or corn. Gotta admit though, the best sausage I ever had was from Ames.

I saw a real estate listing about two years ago for a former insane asylum on 43 acres for only $220K. I considered it but then thought it must be haunted and it was just outside of Des Moines so the only fun one could possibly have is living in a haunted insane asylum.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Quote

Why does it matter?

Quote

Why does anything matter? My ancestors came from Germany to England and later to America. I just wanted to know how to pronounce it in case I want to get a taxi to Dez Moings one day.

I can pronounce Kocherstetten in Württemberg , Germany but was not sure of Des Moines, Iowa.

Verstanden?


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## Michele McAtee (Apr 10, 2006)

Chris Michalek said:


> more importantly why does it matter? It's Iowa... nobody goes there unless you have something to do with pigs or corn.
> 
> 
> > or dogs! lol.
> > You've heard all those good things about Michael Ellis, right? He'll be here soon. All the cool people come here. Just for future reference.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Well, in that case I might bring the dawgs with me...


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

I O W A

I Outta Went Around

Duuuh moin


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Michele McAtee said:


> Chris Michalek said:
> 
> 
> > more importantly why does it matter? It's Iowa... nobody goes there unless you have something to do with pigs or corn.
> ...


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

IOWA=Idiots Out Walking Around. And they are not called Iowans. They are Iowegians. And they all drive 10 mph below the speed limit in the fast lane on the highway and wonder what's wrong with that.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Got a speeding ticket in Des Moins some 10 yrs back. 
I pronounce is as Duh moin as in coin with no s sound on the end.......but then I'm from Missouri. :-k MissourE, MissourAH?


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

ok, maren, i have to disagree with you; "IOWA" stands for "Idiots Out Wandering Around". 

Gillian, it's pronounced "de Moin" at least as far as i can translate, ie, french ? silent "s" ...

and bob---my grandfather was born and bred in MissourAH (NOT "missourEE). it was a big deal in the family, and from what i've picked up, the pronunciation depends upon where in the state you come from...so what's the dif, now that we've figured out how to pronounce Des Moines??


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

ann freier said:


> ok, maren, i have to disagree with you; "IOWA" stands for "Idiots Out Wandering Around".
> 
> Gillian, it's pronounced "de Moin" at least as far as i can translate, ie, french ? silent "s" ...
> 
> and bob---my grandfather was born and bred in MissourAH (NOT "missourEE). it was a big deal in the family, and from what i've picked up, the pronunciation depends upon where in the state you come from...so what's the dif, now that we've figured out how to pronounce Des Moines??



did your grandfather WARSH his hands?


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## Candy Eggert (Oct 28, 2008)

Chris Michalek said:


> did your grandfather WARSH his hands?


And WRENCH his hair?!? :lol:


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

ann freier said:


> ok, maren, i have to disagree with you; "IOWA" stands for "Idiots Out Wandering Around".
> 
> Gillian, it's pronounced "de Moin" at least as far as i can translate, ie, french ? silent "s" ...
> 
> and bob---my grandfather was born and bred in MissourAH (NOT "missourEE). it was a big deal in the family, and from what i've picked up, the pronunciation depends upon where in the state you come from...so what's the dif, now that we've figured out how to pronounce Des Moines??


One of the governors, Christopher Bond I think, actually brought it to a state vote a few yrs back. 
Seems that MissourEE is the choice of the urban areas and MissourAH is more rural. 
To avoid loosing votes it was declared a draw and both are acceptable. Political COWARDS! :grin: 
Being a hood rat from the St. Louis North Side it has always been MissourEE to me but I've got lots of family from MissourAH. :lol: :wink:


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

a state vote? wow!!

for the record, my grandfather was a physician, and he washed his hands (i'm sure), and probably simply lost his hair, as he was pretty much bald when i knew him. a LOT of iweejuns "warsh" stuff tho. JME


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I've always "warshed" my hands.
I've also driven Highway "farty far" (44) many times. :lol: :lol:


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## Michele McAtee (Apr 10, 2006)

I must say, I am amused by this thread. All you worldly folks talkin' onnonnon about Iowans and warshin and stuffs.

Don't know a lot about HWY Farty Far, but I-80's done the job for me plenty. Ok, Chris, I-35 DOES get you to I-90 and that works too...


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Chris Michalek said:


> did your grandfather WARSH his hands?


Ah yes: _warsh._

And "_acrost_." I went acrost a state line and had to start saying "warsh."


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Shit Connie, I say "acrost" lol and I'm from CA. Oops. I need to quit hangin' with the hicks. I used to speak perfect English. My boyfriend says wurshed and has plenty of family in Mizzurah.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

ya gotta love the peeps in so mizzzoura through oklahoma where it's the only place in the word where everything is a coke. "What kind of coke do you want Hon? we got Pepsi, Orange and Root beer."


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Then there's HWY farty itself. 
Nobody knew what them outside contractors was talkin abut on the news when they announced redoing HWY 61.......... untill they started breaking up good old farty.  
Seems them government maps are different from what the locals call it.
Spent a long time telling people that I didn't know where Missouri Botanical Garden was but I always suggested Shaw's Garden as one of the best in the country.   :grin: :wink: 
Then ya do a bit of traveling and try and ask folks for a soda. :-k
What the hell is a pop? That's what my grandkids call me! :lol:


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks for the answers. I found my cousin again through the net. She was originally an "Iowegian" but now lives in LA. Now I can talk to her about De Moin (got it).

I teach English (adults) and one or two of the students are from the French part of Switzerland originally.
When explaining the difference between a road, street, avenue, etc. I happened to mention the "cul-de-sac" but pronounced it like the English do. I ended up drawing one on the board](*,)


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Thanks for the answers. I found my cousin again through the net. She was originally an "Iowegian" but now lives in LA. Now I can talk to her about De Moin (got it).
> 
> I teach English (adults) and one or two of the students are from the French part of Switzerland originally.
> When explaining the difference between a road, street, avenue, etc. I happened to mention the "cul-de-sac" but pronounced it like the English do. I ended up drawing one on the board](*,)


If you're going to LA then you're going to need to learn soma dat ebonics yo. fo snizzle.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Thanks for the answers. I found my cousin again through the net. She was originally an "Iowegian" but now lives in LA. Now I can talk to her about De Moin (got it).
> 
> I teach English (adults) and one or two of the students are from the French part of Switzerland originally.
> When explaining the difference between a road, street, avenue, etc. I happened to mention the "cul-de-sac" but pronounced it like the English do. I ended up drawing one on the board](*,)


How about round about, the new name for traffic circle.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Do you guys (note how I'm cottoning on) call it a traffic circle??


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Chris Michalek said:


> If you're going to LA then you're going to need to learn soma dat ebonics yo. fo snizzle.


I'm sure she's not that daft!!!


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Do you guys (note how I'm cottoning on) call it a traffic circle??


Used to!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Lee H Sternberg said:


> Used to!


In Boston we say "a rotary."


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Here, in Europe, "Rotary" is a club.

I don't think I'll be fitting "rotary" into my English lessons. One group is going to America in Summer. They couldn't speak English when they came to me and now they're not going to be able to get the gist when they hit the US#-o 

I told them if they can ask for a beer and get a beer they're winning!!!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Here, in Europe, "Rotary" is a club.
> 
> I don't think I'll be fitting "rotary" into my English lessons. One group is going to America in Summer. They couldn't speak English when they came to me and now they're not going to be able to get the gist when they hit the US#-o
> 
> I told them if they can ask for a beer and get a beer they're winning!!!


Rotary is a club here too. That's why I was careful to say "a rotary" for the traffic circle thing. :lol:


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

And cul de sacs used to all be called "dead ends" until someone figured out to put a place for cars to turn around without going into reverse or driving on peoples lawns.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

OMG, this thread makes me laugh. 

Here in good ole South Dakota are roads are take the "two track", or "follow the gravel" and we have 18, 73...and so on...we don't say highway first......AND.......
When you tell someone that they have to "take the Interstate" their eyes glaze over....LOL


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Carol Boche said:


> OMG, this thread makes me laugh.
> 
> Here in good ole South Dakota are roads are take the "two track", or "follow the gravel" and we have 18, 73...and so on...we don't say highway first......AND.......
> When you tell someone that they have to "take the Interstate" their eyes glaze over....LOL


Don't laugh Carol. I did a survey once when some Calif. real estate loan officer tried to cut a loan amount because the property was on a dirt road.

I'm sure it changed somewhat now but 88% of the roads in Idaho at that time were gravel roads. That was in the early 90's. :grin:


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

That'd be "down the lane" wouldn't it?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Chris Michalek said:


> ya gotta love the peeps in so mizzzoura through oklahoma where it's the only place in the word where everything is a coke. "What kind of coke do you want Hon? we got Pepsi, Orange and Root beer."


I grew up partially in Georgia (land of Coca Cola) and yup, it was the same way: "what kind of Coke do you want? Oh okay, Mountain Dew..." And when we moved to Colorado, I ordered tea from a restaurant in Kansas as we were driving through. I about spit it out because I had no idea it didn't come sweetened already. The waitress was like "uh...there's sugar packets on the table..." But I've noticed more places round here are starting to having sweet tea all the time! Half sweet tea, half lemonade=BEST THING EVER.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Lee H Sternberg said:


> Don't laugh Carol. I did a survey once when some Calif. real estate loan officer tried to cut a loan amount because the property was on a dirt road.


This definitely happens in SD, but where we are at (the armpit, LOL, which is in between the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations) it is mostly farm and ranch ground. 
Not too many people wanting to actually move here.....but rather pay $400 an acre to either graze livestock or plant corn, sunflower, soybeans or millet.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

yeah, and try to find your way around there--gravels are fine, weird directions are kinda ok, but geez, get out there once--what they call "gravel" really doesn't have any...i'd HATE to see a "minimum maintenance road". and no one has a mailbox w/their name on it, much less a "911" addy.

i'll just never forget driving around looking for a customer in the wet autumn afternoon, near sunset....ughhh. carol, you have 4-wheel drive--i didn't   (but i got to the customer and out to a paved road anyway!). ie, got a little "ranchy" once or twice


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

That is funny that you mention 911 addressing....we recently got it and have all these messed up addresses that come through dispatch now.....(like my address is 29258 214th Ave and I live 1/2 mile off the road on a section line....Avenue my ASS...LOL) 

Only thing is....our county found out that it is just a courtest to put up signage......so, there is none. 

So now, when we get called out we get this stupid address and then have to call in to get directions since there are no signs and NO MAPS yet either. Fricking irritating. 

I like the old "6 miles west, 2 miles south and turn left at the old Geezer's place and then go .25 miles to the house with the BIG BARKING DOG and you are there.....SO MUCH EASIER than the crap we go through now....LOL


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

oh, i know!! when my water heater caught on fire 3 yrs ago, i called 911, they dispatched it to the local volunteer FD (1 1/2 mi from me), who had to pull up a platt map to figure out where i was, cost them 10 min getting out here (didn't matter much anyway), when if dispatch had simply said "freier's place", they woulda been here in no time (this is from a firefighter who lives right on the corner ).

i would mostly rather do the old "1 mile east, 1/2 mile north"...but geez, you get up there in ranch country carol, and the frickin' roads aren't even named!! i did find a couple of outfitters when i was in keya paha county tho   (and i can drive right to 'em too!!!)


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