My old home state of Louisiana is often pronounced as lou-EASE-e-anna, as if it was named after a chick named Louise. I grew up pronouncing it LOU-zee-anna, since it was actually named for a dude named Louis. We also pronounced the name of Baton Rouge's southern suburb as nawl-lens instead of New-Or-leans like they do on the Tee-Vee news.

Baton Rouge is near Lafayette, Louisiana, pronounced LA-fie-yet if you grew up south of Opelousas or LA-fee-et if you grew up north of Opelousas. Then I went to school in Lafayette County, Mississippi and discovered, to my horror, that they pronounce it luh-FAY-et. I wonder how do they pronounce it in Indiana?
- Phil