Ee-Ah

I live in Pennsylvania.

Most people pronounce that as Pencil - Vane - Yah. A young reporter for a local radio station, though, says it all the way out - Penn-Sill-Vane-Ee-Aa. When I first heard her, I thought it odd and a bit affected -- too much elocution school, my dear! -- but over time, its grown on me. It reminds me of how I like the name 'Australia' more when they say it as 'Aus-Trail-Ee-Ah' and not 'Aus-Trail-Yah'. In one of the songs from the musical 1776, a character, proclaiming his refusal to create the Declaration of Independence, says ' So I refuse, to use the Pen, in Pennsylvania!' And he says it all the way out.

Of course, there are place names that don't have that penultimate syllable, and should -- Canada/Canadia comes to mind -- but for now, I'll stick with this. EE-AH!