164
Mrs. Bluezette's Grammar Guide
Boca Raton, Kissimmee, Melbourne
One advantage of being a Florida transplant is that Mrs. B has
learned the correct pronunciations of a couple of cities.
She admits in years past she has butchered them.
An out-of-work meteorologist, as he chooses to identify himself,
writes:
"I have heard many distinct pronunciations for Boca Raton,
Florida, in the past week, and I was wondering what may be the
correct one...I equate the variances in this city's pronunciation to
those I have heard for Kissimmee, Florida."
Boca Raton is pronounced Boca Ruh-TONE (not "Ruh-TAHN").
The name comes from the Spanish words "el raton," meaning "the
mouse or rat," and "la boca," that means "the mouth."
Pirates once hung out in the area of this South Florida coastal city,
north of Ft. Lauderdale.
Kissimmee is pronounced Ki-SIM-mee (not KISS-i-mee).
It's a modern spelling of an American Indian tribal word.
Kissimmee is near Disney World in Central Florida.
Melbourne, pronounced MEL-bern (not MEL-BORN) is on east
central Florida's Space Coast and calls itself "The Harbor City."
You'll hear local as well as network anchors and reporters
mispronounce these cities.
Now you won't be one of them.
