On Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 7:42:37 AM UTC-4, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
> In article >,
> Cindy Hamilton > wrote:
>
> > Let's take the Detroit street called Gratiot. How would you
> > pronounce that? Should I take umbrage if you get it wrong?
>
> You bet! So I won't try. Gotta hear it once from a native. Once I hear
> it, I'll do my best to say it like they do. How 'bout you?

Of course, whenever possible. I reserve the right to mispronounce,
for example, Chinese place names because the language centers of
my brain developed strictly in English.

Incidentally, it's pronounce Gra-shit. Or the 'i' in the second
syllable ends up as a schwa (as so many vowels do in spoken American
English). The first syllable rhymes with the second syllable of
Nevada

Cindy Hamilton