Ar. Ukulele

I wonder why Arkansas is pronounced Ar-Ken-saw, while Kansas is pronounced, er, Kansas rather than Ken-saw? Or should Arkansas be pronounced Ar-Kansas? These things keep me awake at night…..🤔
Valid points, indeed.
 
I wonder if @Ar.ukulele found anyone else in Arkansas? Moreover, I wonder why Arkansas is pronounced Ar-Ken-saw, while Kansas is pronounced, er, Kansas rather than Ken-saw? Or should Arkansas be pronounced Ar-Kansas? These things keep me awake at night…..🤔
The answer probably has to do with syllabification. The “kan” in “Arkansas” is in the second syllable, which is unaccented, but the one in “Kansas” is in the first syllable, which is accented. The pronunciation of a vowel is often affected by the stress on the syllable in which it appears.
 
I'm in Arkansas as of March 2023. Little Rock area. I would love to find a uke group in my area!
 
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