Have you ever wondered why Arkansas is spelled differently from how we say it? The tale behind this intriguing mismatch lies in the area's rich history, rooted in its Native American and French colonial past.
The name "Arkansas" comes from the Quapaw, a Native American tribe that inhabited what we now know as Arkansas. Nearby Algonquian-speaking tribes used a term that sounded like “Akansa,” blending a root word with a plural ending. When French explorers discovered the area in the 17th century, they adjusted the name to fit their language, calling it “Arcansas.” Staying true to their typical spelling conventions—much like the silent "s" in “Illinois”—they added a silent “s” at the end.
The evolution of the name is captured in early historical records. In 1673, French explorers Marquette and Joliet referred to it as “AKANSEA” in their journals. Shortly thereafter, French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de LaSalle's map displayed the name as “ACANSA.” During French explorer Bernard de La Harpe’s expedition from 1718 to 1722, during which he discovered “the little rock,” the namesake of our capital city, the river was designated as “ARKANSAS,” and the tribe was termed “LES AKANSAS.” By around 1811, explorer Zebulon Pike began using the spelling “ARKANSAW.”
When English-speaking settlers arrived, they kept the French spelling but didn’t follow the French pronunciation rules. This caused a split in how people pronounced it: some said “Ar-KAN-zas,” similar to Kansas, while others favored the French-influenced “AR-kan-saw.”
The Arkansas Gazette, founded in 1819 by William E. Woodruff at Arkansas Post, consistently used “Arkansas” from its beginning. By the early 1800s, this spelling gained acceptance in official documents and geographical references. Even before it was legally clarified, the Gazette established the spelling we recognize today.
In the early days of Arkansas' statehood, there was quite a bit of disagreement even among its two U.S. Senators about how to pronounce the state's name. One senator was introduced as hailing from “ARkanSAW,” while the other identified with “Ar-KANSAS.”
To settle the confusion, the Arkansas General Assembly stepped in and passed a law in 1881 (Resolution 1-4-105) that officially defined how the state's name should be pronounced. The law declared: "Whereas, the true pronunciation of the name of this state has been a matter of dispute… the name of this State shall be pronounced in three syllables, with the final ‘s’ silent, the ‘a’ in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables."
This decision was a celebration of the state’s rich cultural heritage, blending influences from both French and Native American traditions. Even today, Arkansas stands out as the only state with a legally mandated pronunciation, making it a linguistic curiosity and a source of pride for its residents.
Unfortunately, comprehensive records of the debates that led to this pronunciation law are quite limited. While the law was enacted during the term of Gov. Thomas J. Churchill (1881–1883), the lack of thorough documentation suggests that it wasn't a significant point of contention back then.
Arkansas and Kansas may look alike, but their pronunciation tells a different story. While Kansas, named after the Kansa people, is pronounced “Kan-zus,” Arkansas hangs on to its unique French-inspired pronunciation: “Arkansaw.” This distinction was solidified by the 1881 law that outlined how the name should be spoken.
Ultimately, standardizing the pronunciation of Arkansas did more than just end a discussion about language; it helped maintain an important cultural heritage that ties the Natural State to its Native American and French colonial roots.
Comments
Post a Comment