Why is the S silent in Des Moines?

DES MOINES, Iowa (August 29, 2019) – Catch Des Moines, the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, has launched a new brand campaign called “The S's Are Silent.” A cheeky reference to the often mispronounced Des Moines, the integrated campaign includes TV, radio, print, and digital assets, with an emphasis ...

Are the S silent in Des Moines?

It's named after the one in Iowa, so if you are going to pronounce it correctly, you've got to pronounce it Des Moines.” I know that the s's are silent in Des Moines, Iowa.

Do you pronounce the s in Des Moines Iowa?

The correct pronunciation of Des Moines is DE-moyn, with the letter e pronounced as dress. Both s are silent.

Why is Des Moines spelled that way?

It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is located on, and named after, the Des Moines River, which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks".

Is Iowa pronounced ioway?

And in 1700 Le Sueur, who made a point of learning about the Iowas from the Dakotas, called them in his journal not Aiouez or Aiouais or Aioyës (all pronounced Ioway) but Ayavois — that is to say, Ai‑av‑o‑ah or I'owa.

Des Moines. The S's Are Silent.

Is Des Moines an Indian name?

The origin of the city's place-name is controversial: it is possibly a French corruption of the Algonquian name for the river, Moingona; alternatively, it may be derived from the French de moyen (“middle”), being midway between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, or perhaps it was a reference to the Trappist monks ( ...

What is the correct pronunciation of Louisville?

We asked around and got a mixed bag of opinionated pronunciations. "Well the city is named for King Louis XVI so LOO-ee-vill is correct, but then again, so is LOO-a-vul," Douglas said.

Can you pronounce the s in Illinois?

Illinois. If you don't know by now, Chicagoans will be quick to correct you. Illinois has a silent "s" sound, so it should be pronounced "Il-ih-NOY," not "Ill-ih-NOISE." And for more places with hard names, This Is the Most Mispronounced City in the U.S.

Is it St Louis or St Lewis?

Understand. The city is named after King Louis IX of France, but is pronounced "Saint Lewis", not "Saint Louie". St. Louis is known by the nickname of The Gateway to the West.

How do you pronounce Meet Me in St Louis?

"Louis" in the song is pronounced "LOO-ee", akin to the French. The song is one of the few instances of pronouncing the city's name that way. It is normally pronounced "LOO-is".

How do you pronounce Cle Elum WA?

Cle Elum (/kli ˈɛləm/ klee ELL-um) is a city in Kittitas County, Washington, United States.

How do you say Nebraska in English?

Why don't you pronounce the s in Illinois?

That's Illi-noy—no pesky “s” at the end. However, most Illinoisans likely don't know how the state got its unusual name. Illinois was named after the Illinois River, which was named by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in an attempt to map the region's many rivers and waterways.

Is Nevada or Nevada pronounced?

UNLV history professor Michael Green said in the 150 years since Abraham Lincoln first gave our chunk of land statehood, only Nevadans pronounce our state name with the short “a”: Ne-vă-da.

What is the French meaning of Des Moines?

Etymology. From the French name of the nearby Rivière des Moines, which superficially means "river of the monks" and has traditionally been interpreted as a reference to the Trappist monks who settled along it.

What is Des Moines known for?

Who settled Des Moines?

In the 1670s, two French explorers, Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, were the first Europeans to explore the Mississippi River Valley, and hence the first to set foot in what is now Iowa.