How is Des Moines pronounced?

[thikasabrik]

This might sound like a silly question but we have a visitor at work next week from Des Moines and I don't want to make a fool of myself by getting it wrong. Thanks.

[Sequin]

In the USA it is pronounced Dez Moynz or D'Moynz

[thikasabrik]

Thanks for that sequin, you have saved me from embarrassment as I would have tried to pronounce it differently.

[LindaBon]

I would say people from US say it as D moyn

I lived in the US for 3 years (not near Des Moines though)

[snook]

I go along with LindaBon, I've heard it pronounced exactly like that on TV many times (d moyn).

[kempie]

Des Moines, Iowa is pronounced "Da-Moyn." The 's' is always silent.

http://www.desmoinesmetro.com/newsroom_background_faq.asp

There is also a Des Moines, Washington where the 's' is sounded to differentiate it from the one in Iowa.

http://www.citybloc.com/Washington/Des%20Moines

[thikasabrik]

That's me totally confused now!

[lankeela]

There is also a Des Lynam, where the 's' is silent, pronounced d'lynam

[bernardo]

Why not just go out of your way to feel superior, and put the locals in their place by pronouncing it correctly? Say "Day Mwaan" and be pompous to them if they try to disagree.

[Dark Angel]

Des Moines, French for "some Monks" is pronounced Day Mwaan, I believe.

This is the reasoning behind my guess.

De is used for singular words, and pronounced, "duh" whereas Des (pronounced Day) is used for plural words. As for Moines, the 's' is silent and the rest of the word is pronounced Mwaang, the nasal oin in French, but without the hard"g" at the end .

[Dark Angel]

Sorry, I looked it up, Des Moines means "of the monks" not Some monks. You could pronounce it Demwaan, as opposed to "Day Mwaan", because the French slur their words into each other and that's what it sounds like.

[kazza12345]

uh-oh, i think you just better ask the man how he prefers it pronounced, or never mention it. I have some friendsof friends in battersea who pronounce it

ba-ter-seeya

so who knows, he might have a personal way of saying what i would pronounce as d moin

[Stu in USA]

Watch "Spinal Tap" to see how not to pronounce it!!!!

[thikasabrik]

Thanks to all of you for your varied suggestions! I think I'll keep it simple and ask him how life is in Iowa, because I know how to pronounce that.....I think!