How do Canadians pronounce Calgary?

Matt · #1 Posted **May 30, 2012, 2:19 AM**

I live in the United States, and my co-worker and I are having a discussion on how Canadians (specifically, residents of Calgary) pronounce the city's name.

I heard several years ago that it is commonly pronounced "CAL-GREE", instead of Calg-A-ree. Can anyone provide an answer? Is the letter "A" commonly omitted from the pronounciation of the city? Thanks for any info!

Jimby · #2 Posted **May 30, 2012, 3:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

I live in the United States, and my co-worker and I are having a discussion on how Canadians (specifically, residents of Calgary) pronounce the city's name.

I heard several years ago that it is commonly pronounced "CAL-GREE", instead of Calg-A-ree. Can anyone provide an answer? Is the letter "A" commonly omitted from the pronounciation of the city? Thanks for any info!

I say CAL gah ree, but I'm from Montreal.
The girl on the local TV news says CA-gree with no L!

Ayreonaut · #3 Posted **May 30, 2012, 3:44 AM**

Among locals I rarely hear anything but Cal-gree. There is sometimes a quick 'uh' after the G, but it's usually hardly noticeable.

artvandelay · #4 Posted **May 30, 2012, 3:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimby

I say CAL gah ree, but I'm from Montreal.
The girl on the local TV news says CA-gree with no L!

It's Cal-gree you damn dirty easterner!

davee930 · #5 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:28 AM**

"Calgree". Except for anyone not from Calgree (although there are the few oddballs from here that still pronounce it Calg-a-ree).

suburbia · #6 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimby

I say CAL gah ree, but I'm from Montreal.

I say it the same.

How do they say it on the Isle of Mull?

Jimby · #7 Posted **May 30, 2012, 5:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbia

I say it the same.

How do they say it on the Isle of Mull?

you have to roll the r!

DizzyEdge · #8 Posted **May 30, 2012, 6:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayreonaut

Among locals I rarely hear anything but Cal-gree. There is sometimes a quick 'uh' after the G, but it's usually hardly noticeable.

I agree with this.

Just play the video player here: http://calgary.ctv.ca/
and I'm sure they'll mention the world Calgary in the first 10-20 seconds. (after the 30s ad that plays anyway)

Matt · #9 Posted **May 30, 2012, 11:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

I agree with this.

Just play the video player here: http://calgary.ctv.ca/
and I'm sure they'll mention the world Calgary in the first 10-20 seconds. (after the 30s ad that plays anyway)

Indeed... "Cal-gree". The local Calgary population on this forum and the "Cal-gree" news anchors can't be wrong. Pretty cool how they just decide to omit the "A", it actually is a little quirk about the city that I enjoy... but I wonder why?

Thanks everyone for clearing this up...

YYCguys · #10 Posted **May 30, 2012, 1:26 PM**

You can clearly hear the 3 syllable pronunciation of Calgary in this YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WA5VnKimBRs?rel=0

I LOVED the "Hello Calgary" spots.

Wish they would bring them back!

Calgarian · #11 Posted **May 30, 2012, 1:39 PM**

As soon as I hear someone say anything other than Cal-gree I know instantly they are not from here...

s211 · #12 Posted **May 30, 2012, 3:57 PM**

Out here, I've never heard it pronounced any other way except "Cowtown".

O-tacular · #13 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:01 PM**

It always sounded funny to me when out of town family called it Cal-gay-ree.

O-tacular · #14 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by s211

Out here, I've never heard it pronounced any other way except "Cowtown".

I suppose it fits with how I only ever refer to Edmonton as Edmonchuck or Deadmonton.

O-tacular · #15 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

I live in the United States, and my co-worker and I are having a discussion on how Canadians (specifically, residents of Calgary) pronounce the city's name.

I heard several years ago that it is commonly pronounced "CAL-GREE", instead of Calg-A-ree. Can anyone provide an answer? Is the letter "A" commonly omitted from the pronounciation of the city? Thanks for any info!

Just curious, as a New Yorker what inspired your interest in our city?

freeweed · #16 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

Indeed... "Cal-gree". The local Calgary population on this forum and the "Cal-gree" news anchors can't be wrong. Pretty cool how they just decide to omit the "A", it actually is a little quirk about the city that I enjoy... but I wonder why?

Thanks everyone for clearing this up...

It's a Scottish placename originally. Go talk to a Scotsman sometime and you'll stop wondering about bizarre pronunciations.

If you listen really carefully, the local pronunciation is actually a mix/slur between cal-g'-ree and cal-gree. It's not quite 2 syllables but definitely not 3. The "middle" g sound is sorta like a glottal stop, kinda. It's something I don't hear in many other English words. "Calgary" does not match perfectly with, for example, "Walgreens". There's a very subtle difference. I'm sure some linguist could explain this better.

And to confirm another post, my favourite out-of-town pronunciation is definitely "Cal-Gary" (sounds like the 2 names being said together, emphasis on the middle syllable).

ByeByeBaby · #17 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:19 PM**

The pronunciation of Calgary is in the Wikipedia list of shibboleths. Tronna is the other classic one. I was at a meetup last week, and it was pretty obvious to me who the newcomers were and who the natives (or long-term residents, I was actually the only born and raised one) were.

kw5150 · #18 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:33 PM**

Anyway people pronounce it is fine by me. I'm a Cal gary pronounce'r....but slowly changing to Cal'gree.

Jamaican-Phoenix · #19 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:36 PM**

Cal-guh-ree

suburbia · #20 Posted **May 30, 2012, 4:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgarian

As soon as I hear someone say anything other than Cal-gree I know instantly they are not from here...

I've lived here over 35 years - and loved the old 2 & 7 spots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kw5150

Anyway people pronounce it is fine by me. I'm a Cal gary pronounce'r....but slowly changing to Cal'gree.

Whooaaa! I agree with KW5150, though am being perhaps a bit more protective of our heritage and retaining Calgary / Cal-guh-ree. If our City's name was a building, we'd all be in an uproar about heritage being abused.