People who are new to Southern California are quickly taught how to pronounce the Spanish place names correctly, or risk mockery.

Take, for example, a new Los Angeles tv reporter from the midwest delivered the news with a spectacular mispronounciation of 'La Canada,' which she uttered as written above. However, there is usually a little squiggle (number row, far left) called a 'tilde' over the first N in La Canada. This indicates that it should be pronounced 'La CanYAda.'

Hundreds of residents rushed to correct her, clogging the phones and stressing out the help.

When a relative of hers came out from the midwest, my friend Sam wanted to show her a good time. Sam and her friends gave her the grand tour of San Diego, including a visit to Tijuana. They quickly corrected her when she pronounced the town south of San Diego as "Al CaJohn."
She learned that El Cajon is pronounced 'Ell CaHONE.' She learned to say 'La Jolla' like a native. And, she remembered the lesson.

One evening, Sam took her to a Louisiana-style BBQ joint, where they met up with friends for dinner.

She couldn't figure out why everyone was howling after she placed her order with the waitress. Proud of her ability to pronounce local names correctly, she ordered the CaHUN chicken.

But in Louisiana, "Cajun" is pronounced just as it's spelled.