Is the first a in Nevada pronounced like ladder or larder?

Like ladder.

Like ladder. I grew up there, that’s how the locals say it.

Ladder; I have never heard it being pronounced any other way living on the west coast and here in the south.

The one that irritates DominicX the most.

As per wikipedia:
The name Nevada comes from the Spanish “Nevada” [neβaða], meaning “snowfall”, after the Sierra Nevada (“snow-covered mountains”) mountain range.

Most non-Westerners pronounce the name /nəvədə/, with the ə of “father” after the imagined pronunciation of the Spanish, which annoys locals. The most famous case of this was George W. Bush’s faux pas during his campaign for the 2004 US Presidential Election. Vindication later came when President Bush campaigned at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on June 18, 2004. The president opened his talk by proclaiming that “It’s great to be here in /nəvædə/,” the crowd roaring its approval when he light-heartedly noted “You didn’t think I’d get it right, did ya?”

I think I’ll stick with the Spanish way. Like nay-vaah-daah.

Ladder and larder are different a sounds? =)

Many states, for some reason, have different pronunciations that differ between locals and non-locals. Like Illinois; I used to pronounce it with the “s”, but since I’ve lived here for the past few years, I now pronounce is the “proper” way without the “s”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-open_front_unrounded_vowel

@erichw1504 I’ve noticed the same thing. A lot of out-of-staters pronounce Colorado as Cah-lo-rahh- doh, but people that live here in the state pronounce it Cah-lo-rad-doh.

“larder” is a word??

I always pronounce both A’s like the A in “father”. I’d never even considered pronouncing it like the A in “dad”. Huh. Guess I was wrong?

@andrew Voice & speech paid off, eh?

I pronounce it like the Q in quintisential.

@Mike_Hunt lol

Yeah, it’s pronounced with a short “a” sound as in the word “cat”, “fashion” or the Thai word “rang”.

I grew up in Nevada and that’s how everyone pronounces it there. No, it’s not accurate to the original Spanish pronunciation, but it has become an English word now. Same goes for the town of San Pablo in CoCoCounty. “Pablo” is pronounced with a short “a” as in “cat”. It might sound silly, but that’s what happens when many Spanish words come into English. In fact, all the cities that begin with “San” pronounce the “a” as in “cat”.

How come no one ever uses Fart when trying to explain the type of “A” sound? I think it is wholly appropriate.

i say nevarda but im english so doubt that’s ‘authentic’ or whatever you want to call it… =)

um. Okay, I’ve been pronouncing it wrong all my life. O.o I’ve always said it as “nev-ah-da”

Thanks, everyone.

@downtide Me too. :-)