Nevada Lawmaker Has Pronounced Preferences for State Name

You say po-TAY-to, I say po-TAH-to . . .

That familiar refrain could take on political relevance in the Silver State, where one lawmaker thinks the pronunciation of "Nevada" ought to be codified.

Assemblyman Harry Mortenson has submitted a draft request for a resolution asserting that though the preferred pronunciation of the state's name is "Ne-VAD-a," using the alternate "Ne-VAH-da" is also acceptable, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Mortenson says he's not asking Nevadans to change. He just wants the Spanish pronunciation recognized.

The Associated Press reports that the issue is nothing new. In 1944, local newspapers took former heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey to task for his "East Coast" pronunciation during an appearance in Reno.