Break “Nevada” into syllables. There are three distinct syllables in the word “Nevada. " Thinking of the word as having three parts will help you pronounce it correctly. The “e” should be pronounced as in “pet” or “met. " The “a” at the end of the name is pronounced like the “u” in “up. " [3] X Research source [4] X Research source
When one politician in Las Vegas suggested legislation granting official approval of both pronunciations, most Nevadans rejected the idea. That ex-legislator argued that “Ne-VAW-duh” is (almost) a Spanish pronunciation and should be allowed since so many non-locals use it. The Spanish word “Nevada” means “snowfall” or “covered in snow” and refers to the Sierra Madre Mountains that pass through the state. Residents of Nevada do not use the “AW” pronunciation. For 150 years they’ve been using a “short a” sound in the second syllable of their state’s name. [5] X Research source The common, mostly Eastern and Southern, mispronunciation of Nevada in English is not actually the authentic Spanish pronunciation. Note that there are seven American states with names derived from the Spanish language, and yet none of them are pronounced as native Spanish speakers would say them. A similar example is Gonzaga University in the state of Washington. Locals call it “Gawn-ZA-guh,” with a “short a” sound in the second syllable (like “sad”).
The state’s governor sent one politician a text advising him to say Neh-VADD-uh. [7] X Research source Other politicians have been booed for using the other pronunciation. Most of us can expect to be merely corrected if we use the wrong pronunciation in front of someone who actually lives in “Neh-VA-duh. "
