Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: Alice
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 07:15 PM

KI'-ote in Montana.
Ask the Old Coyote family of the Crow Indian tribe.
Old Coyote family

We don't pronounce it in a Spanish way up here in the north.
It is KI'-ote. In fact, you can tell someone has moved here from somewhere else if they pronounce it differently.

Alice

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 07:07 PM

Kansas, New Mexico and Wyoming...Ki ote. Easterners say kee yo tee.

Gods Dogs. Love em. Seems like no matter what Man throws at them they overcome it. Known a few 'coy dogs'...half breeds too. Quite nice actually.

No, 'coy/koi' dog and Ki Ote dont' make sense but...oh well.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: GUEST,Val
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:48 PM

Growin' up in Oklahoma, we always said "kai-ote" when talkin' 'bout the critter. With some new-age-y city-folks referencing the Trickster totem, it's "ko-YO-tay".

Then there's those who just call 'em "yodel-puppies".

Val

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: Amos
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:47 PM

Watch the mon,
Hangin' in the sky.
Hum a tune,
Prairie lullaby.
Peaceful wind,
Old Kai-Yo-tee cry,
A song of home,
Sweet Wyoming home.


A

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:29 PM

After all, only unwashed heathen pronounce it in some way other than the way I do.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:28 PM

I pronounce it "ky-oat" but will accept however you pronounce it. Nor will I get involved in these "potato/potahto" wars.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:25 PM

I have heard it 'mostly' "kai-yo-tee" ..with very little emphasis on any syllable.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:24 PM

Merriam-Webster
Some other online thing
Spaw

Subject: Folklore: How do you pronounce 'coyote'
From: freightdawg
Date: 22 Feb 08 - 06:21 PM

I was watching one out my kitchen window this morning, and the thought occured to me, depending on how you pronounce the word it could have a lot of different usages in songs (i.e. rhyming possibilities).

I prefer what I consider to be the more "traditional" pronunciation, if I can spell it correctly it would be - "ko-YO-tay". However, the most popular pronunciation around these parts, at least, is - "kai-YO-tee" or its derivation, "KAI-yote".

Me thinks that if you sang it "ko-YO-tay" in a song, no one would know which varmit you were talking about.

(BTW, I think they are beautiful animals in their own right, and would love to incorporate some of the beauty of their songs in the songs I sing. If you've ever heard a pack of coyotes sing right at dawn or dusk you know what I mean.)

As a follow-up question, what are some songs that involve coyotes? I'd like to form a list.

Freightdawg