Missouri
July 2012
Politicians in Missouri usually alternate between pronouncing the state’s name as Missouree and Missouruh. The Missouruh pronunciation favored in the southern part of the state and by older, conservative residents, is often used when candidates speak to rural audiences.
I quote this paragraph from the Week Magazine, 10 26 12, which in turn quoted from the New York Times.
Where did this state name come from? It was named for the Missouri River. Which doesn’t really answer the question. But this does; the Missouri River was named after the indigenous people of this area, the Ouemessourita. Ouemessourita means “those who have dugout canoes.”
Seriously, that’s what you call yourselves? “Those who have dugout canoes?” Was that so rare and distinguishing a feature? Why not “Leaps tall buildings in a single bound”? Or “A little dab’ll do ya,” or “I hid the body. Now what?” Those who have dugout canoes. What hosers.
Or hoosiers. Yes, Hoosier is the nickname for folks from Indiana, but it has also been applied when you want to insult someone from Saint Louis which, as you know, is in Missouri. Which is where, at the moment, we are too, getting ready to climb to the highest point of the state where, staggeringly, they have dugout canoes.