Nathan and I just had a big discussion about the pronunciation of the word “Diablo”. As in, Mount Diablo or Diablo Valley College. I’ve noticed that East Bayreans pronounce it one way. Growing up, I’ve always heard it another way. How do YOU pronounce it??
12 replies on “Quiz Time”
The true pronunciation (as it’s the Spanish word for “devil”) is “dee-ah-blow.” However, all the Spanish names of cities have been butchered via our English toungues (Santa Rosa, Los Gatos, Los Angeles, to name a few). And it sounds weird to pronounce them the right way, so we all just pronounce them the wrong way to fit in. 🙂
I say it Diablo
“thee-AH-bloe” (hard ‘th’).
how does nathan pronounce it? dee-ahhhhhh-blo” like “wis-caaahhhn-sin”? sick.
Oh yeah, in the East Bay they have probably anglicized it to “Die-a(short a)-blow)” but more fun to say it the Spanish way. Near Gino there is an area of L.A. called Los Feliz & they say “Loss Fee’-less”; and of course there’s Loss An-jell-us. It happens.
I think the worst I’ve heard is a place in Florida, Buena Vista, which they pronounce “Bee-you-na Vista”. Go figure. Almost as bad as Why-loop-a, but that’s not Spanish.
By the way, that’s a lovely picture of Mt. Diablo. Wanna take a fun family outing there over Thanksgiving? Without flying pincherbugs?
Mom you are correct, they do say it Die-AH-blow. I feel so weird saying it this way because I have always heard/said it Dee-AH-blow. So whenever I try to say Die-AH-blow, I feel very uncomfortable. It’s like I’m saying Ahhh-nt, but I really say Ant for Aunt Jessica. I feel weird about it. I googled pronunciations for Diablo, and NOT ONE said, DIE-ah-blow. But Nathan’t argument is: diabolical. You pronounce it, DIE-ah… just like DIE-ah-blow. Anyway . . . whewwww. I’m just want everyone around here to say the RIGHT way!
P.s. weird about Buena Vista! and Los Feliz. And in Yulupa, why would you say the letter Y? That one really doesn’t make sense to me!
Die- ab- blow.
qweeairo er ay dyuhblo, poor fayver. grayseeus.
As soon as I hear the proper Spanish pronunciation of Santa Rosa from my wife on a daily basis I will cease using the Anglicized version of Diablo.
Hahaha – then would we have to say Va-yay-ho instead of Val-lay-yo?
Let’s go to Vayayho!