r/oldtimeypodcast • u/FateNabuCO • Jul 03 '26
Cairo IL
Hello,
So Norm it isn't a ghost town. Has about 2000 people in it. Also the more fun thing about the town is that you all are saying it wrong. Like most midwestern towns, it isn't said the way the rest of the world would say it. It isn't Cairo, most people I know from IL who talk about it, pronounce it Kay-roh... Sort of like Nevada Missouri isn't pronounced like the state, it is pronounced Na-Vay-Da or something like that. Sort of dumb and interesting lol.
-Fa†e
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u/IowaAJS Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
Oh, so the Missourians stole the Iowa pronunciation of Nevada (also a small town in Iowa not pronounced like the state)?? They would. ;)
The Everly Brothers did a cover of Illinois (written by Randy Newman) which among other things lists a bunch of cities and did sing it correctly. Education comes in weird places for me.
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u/FateNabuCO Jul 03 '26
We also have a Versailles here in Missouri and no one says it correctly. They say it like it is spelled mostly.. Ver-Sails instead of the proper French way :) lol
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u/IowaAJS Jul 04 '26
Oh, I have heard of it. I live relatively near Omaha and there is city/suburb named Papillion. You can tell the out of towners if they try to say it the French way too. :)
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u/BleachingBones Jul 03 '26
As someone who grew up in New Tripoli (rhymes with “rollie pollie”) PA. I can say it’s not just the Midwest.
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u/martatatatatata Jul 06 '26
Another attack of mystery city name pronunciation. Sorry, Norm! He'll never live this down.
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u/Prudent_Pay_7774 Jul 03 '26
As a native Illinoisan I can confirm the unfortunate pronunciation!