Talk:2665: America Songs

Many of these rely on "ia"/"ie"/"io" serving as the 3rd and 4th syllables, so every song would be sung like "God Bless Olimpiya". Virginia Beach appears to be the only one to escape this.--Magtei (talk) 19:39, 29 August 2022 (UTC)in M

As a Washingtonian, I pronounce Olympia without the diphthong (so four syllables; the “a” being distinct). It’s probably a dialect thing, and some pronunciations are more common than others, but as long as one fairly-common pronunciation scans, I think it’s fine. Szeth Pancakes (talk) 03:37, 30 August 2022 (UTC)

There are also some locations with three-syllable names, such as Detroit Lakes or Fergus Falls (both located northwest of St. Cloud, Minnesota) which, although not listed by Randall, will also work and not use the noted syllables. RAGBRAIvet (talk) 02:35, 30 August 2022 (UTC)

This phrase, "scans to", has me confused. Can the explanation address what this is supposed to mean? --anon 16:23, 29 August 2022

You betcha Szeth Pancakes (talk) 20:38, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

What does scanning mean in relation to sung verse? Just syllables and their stress pattern, or is their more? 172.69.34.28 23:11, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

I'm not familiar with the term, but I assume it's related to scansion. If I'm right, it's probably just syllables and stress pattern. GreatWyrmGold (talk) 06:52, 30 August 2022 (UTC)

Aussie here: we tend to say (and sing) "Australia" with three syllables. For example, see the Australian national anthem. Occasionally two syllables: Straya mate!! But saying it with four syllables is perhaps an American thing. 162.158.2.207 21:19, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

Interesting! It probably is a dialect thing. As an American, I've always pronounced it with four. Szeth Pancakes (talk) 21:23, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

In the comic, Saskatchewan is spelled as Sasketchewan. Might be fixed later?

Just putting this here: https://www.quora.com/A-lot-of-place-names-in-the-USA-have-four-syllables-Minnesota-Chattanooga-Albuquerque-Tallahassee-Talladega-Massachusetts-Massapequa-Mississippi-Cincinnati-Sacramento-Indiana-Alabama-Oklahoma-etc-Is-there-a (with the understanding that "scanning" doesn't necessarily mean only the number of syllables, e.g. Al-BUH-ker-key has the wrong stress pattern.)172.70.210.49 21:51, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque! 172.69.79.211 22:03, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

AlBUquerque, AlBUquerque, God shed his grace on theee...! 172.70.207.8 22:46, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

Does anyone know how to craft a Wikidata query for all the place names with four syllables following the .'.. stress pattern? We should probably say how many there are. 172.70.214.183 23:15, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

Jurassic park, Jurassic park, how lovely are thy branches… Fabian42 (talk) 23:31, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

The pronunciation of Vidalia, Georgia, is "vi-DAIL-ya" -- three syllables, not four. It doesn't actually scan like "America". Seems like the comic is assuming the pronunciation is "vee-DAHL-ee-ah", which would scan.ing

And the age old question of whether an optional schwa constitutes a syllable rears its head. 172.69.134.161 05:14, 30 August 2022 (UTC)