[N&W] Re: Powhatan

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From: N&W Mailing List <mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Powhatan

What is the correct pronunciation of Powhatan.  Have had this discussion 
with several train club members, but feel the best answer should come from 
those in the area where the Powhatan Arrow ran.  Is it pronounced 
po-hat-en, pow-ha-ten,
po-ah-ten, pow-a-ten, or something different?  As you can see, there are a 
lot of choices.  The dictionary favors
pow-e-ten or po-hat-en.

Thanks, Ron Kloosterman


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From: N&W Mailing List <mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: Powhatan

 >What is the correct pronunciation of Powhatan. Have had this discussion
 >with several train club members, but feel the best answer should come
 >from those in the area where the Powhatan Arrow ran.

Pow (sounds like cow)- a (short u)- tan (suntan). Anyone who says it
like Manhattan has my sympathies.

David Thompson
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Locals around southside Virginia pronounced it something like pow-a-tan. The
"a" in the middle is short.

John B Farley
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Those of us in Lynchburg pronounced it POW-A-TAN.
Ray Smoot
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If you go to Powhatan and ask the natives, they'll tell you Pow-a-tan, with
the accent on the Pow.
EdKing
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I grew up in Northfork. The is a small unincorporated town one mile east
whose pronunciation is Pow eh tan with the eh almost left out. This is also
where one of the wrecks took place. The Powhatan Arrow wrecks at Powhatan
Headline in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Bob Riffe
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This really depends on where you live. I grew-up in southern Ohio, lived in 
Kansas and have lived the last 19 years in New England. I have travelled 
around and noticed the different ways people different words. We can always 
tell when there is a new newscaster on TV, by the way they butcher certain 
pronunciations. There is really no correct way, just a way to tell the 
locals from the out-of-towners.

If you are referring to the Powhattan Arrow, most people I know just refer 
to it as the POW-Tan Arrow.

A.J. Gemperline
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List,
OK, this one is going to be fun. Around Central/ Western Virginia, it is
pow - a - tan. Smooth and flowing. The 'h' is, or nearly, silent. Believe
me, it is NOT pronounced pow haat' ten as in some the commercial movies/
videos available.
Charlie Long
Lynchburg
Convention 2002
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This is likely to stir up lots of "debate", but having grown up there, my 
folks pronounce it "pow-tan"
Dr. J. Brent Greer
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Folks in Powhatan County, Virginia tend to say "pow-eh-tan".
David McGrann
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In Norfolk you'd say 'pow-a-tan'. I'm sure it changes the farther west you go!
Tom Cosgrove
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My American Heritage Talking Dictionary pronounces it Pow-ha-tan. Of course 
local dialects will differ somewhat, but it is never ever pronounced 
Pow-hat-an around an N&W employee, that is unless you want to get run out 
of town on a rail:)
Jimmy Lisle
_____________________________________________________________
I don't know how it's pronounced in the Powhatan Arrow area, but I live on
Powhatan Street in northern Virginia and it is usually said pow-e-ten here.
darlene spencer
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Pronunciation of 'Powhatan' as used in McDowell County (WV) is Pow'-a-tan'
--- with
accent on the first and second syllables, with muted 'h'.
Bob Stockner
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Ron,

Growing up along the N&W at IRONTON, OH and understanding we have a very
distinct Appalachian dialect I only heard "Pow la tan Arrow" or "Pow a tan".
But one thing for sure any kid that was into train watching would run a long
distance to see the engineer out of Portsmouth, OH who was always in
uniform; the regulation stripped work bibs with matching jacket and HAT that
was always starched and squeaky clean (from a view 1/4 mile away) WITH and
without fail a fresh bright red bandanna around his neck (winter & SUMMER)
touched off with very fresh appearing gloves with cuff flaps and for cinder
protection his goggles.. Now tell me at the age of 61 that that did not
leave one real impression on a kid.

Oakie G Ford
IRONTON, OH
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Ron,

It is an indian word from eastern Virginia. The correct pronunciation is:
pow'-ha-tan' like "pow" in pow wow
                  "ha" in ha, ha
                  "tan" as in sun tan

Don't feel bad, this word is mispronounced often.

Bud Jeffries


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From: N&W Mailing List <mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: Powhatan

Ron,

Next time ask a question that generates some interest. WOW, you sure got
everyone's attention. It is fun to see the interest.

Oakie G. Ford
_____________________________________________________________
Next week, we will discuss the pronunciation of NORR-FOLLLK.

Jim McDaniel,
who lives near Nassawadox -- which none even attempts--on
the Delmarva Peninsula

[I think we already did the pronunciation of Norfolk a few months back]
_____________________________________________________________
Then there is the hotshot O-scale engine collector who calls it Poe-WHAT-n 
. . .

But he's a northerner . . .
EdKing


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From: N&W Mailing List <mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: Powhatan

When I worked on the Scioto Division, we used to call it #25 and #26.

TRAINS magazine had a similar controversy a while back about what to call
the C&O 2-8-4s, named Kanawhas.  Lots of pronunciations were sent in, but
the guy that took the prize was the one that said that the C&O guys called
'em 2700s.

EdKing
_________________________________________________________________________
Or, even better, how about Poquoson?

The old joke is a traveling salesman came into Poquoson one day and stopped
at the local drive-in restaurant for a bite. When he picked up his food, he
asked the girl behind the counter, "Say, just how do you say the name of
this place, anyway?"

The girl looked at him funny for a minute, then said, very slowly,

"Dare-ee Queeen."

David McGrann (easily amused)


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Subject: Re: Powhatan

They are still working on Chocowinity.
Cal Reynolds



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Subject: Re: Powhatan

Poquoson is easy. It's Puh-co-Son.

Tom Cosgrove