You say San Paydro; I say San Peedro. You like tomayto; I like, um, I also enjoy tomayto.
Let's call the whole thing off!
Well, maybe not. At least not in the South Bay anyway.
We quite often get questions here at the Daily Breeze about the proper pronunciation of everyone's favorite port town.
The resounding answer is that true locals, even those who speak Spanish, refer to the city affectionately as San Peedro. Or just plain Peedro. And any other pronunciation is a clear sign that you don't know the area.
So, I thought it was interesting that upon calling the brand new Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division station this morning, I noticed that the recording on the phone says the facility is located in San Paydro.
No word on whether officers there like tomaytoes or tomahtoes.
Let's call the whole thing off!
Well, maybe not. At least not in the South Bay anyway.
We quite often get questions here at the Daily Breeze about the proper pronunciation of everyone's favorite port town.
The resounding answer is that true locals, even those who speak Spanish, refer to the city affectionately as San Peedro. Or just plain Peedro. And any other pronunciation is a clear sign that you don't know the area.
So, I thought it was interesting that upon calling the brand new Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division station this morning, I noticed that the recording on the phone says the facility is located in San Paydro.
No word on whether officers there like tomaytoes or tomahtoes.
typical police disconnect...
It's San Paydro...Dumb Asses.
Anonymous obviously you aren't from this area....it's PEEDRO...dumbass
It's a Spanish Name after St. Peter. Thus, pronounced San Paydro..:) Typical Pedro resident AMY
It's Peedro, which even though incorrect in Spanish, reflects the history of a beach accent pronunciation. Peeeeedro. However, the voice recognition system in automated 411 doesn't recognize regional accents and you must use "Paydro" to be understood by the computer.
http://somerandomfemale.blogspot.com
It's a Spanish Name after St. Peter. Thus, pronounced San Paydro..:)
Ah, another I know what's right and I got the proof kinda guy/gal
It seems to me the name reflects what the PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE CALL IT.
I have only known it as PEEDRO, and for the record though I didn't grow up there, (parents class of S42 and S46 did) so it's logical and correct to call it what locals call it, but hey go ahead and live in your own world, doubtful you'll be joined there and that seems to be your target doesn't it? :)
Anonymous...I don't live in San PEEdro....I live in Torrance but hey what's a few miles....yes the CORRECT SPANISH pronounciation is PAYdro....however Colleen is ALSO correct so you may as well just shut up....don't you have anything better to do than hang around here arguing with people that obviously know more about the area than you do? Clearly not....have a good day.
It's still a toilet anyway you want to pronounce it!
Its shows what kind of scum you are Be Not There.. meaning no disrespect for the dump you probably live in. If you cannot say anything of substance go back to your own rock please.
First of all the "correct" Spanish pronunciation as many of you are incorrectly saying is not "PAY-dro" - it is a short "e" not long - please get it correct, not that difficult. Second, the local "colloquilaism" is PEE-dro - I have heard from my local PEE-dro Italian and Croation friends that it is due to it's long established Ischian and Croatian roots that it si derived form their pronunciation of Saint Peter being San Pietro (Pee - ay -tro) hence PEE-dro.... just don't say PAY-dro as it is incorrect in Spanish as well as in PEE-dro.
First of all the "correct" Spanish pronunciation as many of you are incorrectly saying is not "PAY-dro" - it is a short "e" not long - please get it correct, not that difficult. Second, the local "colloquilaism" is PEE-dro - I have heard from my local PEE-dro Italian and Croation friends that it is due to it's long established Ischian and Croatian roots that it si derived form their pronunciation of Saint Peter being San Pietro (Pee - ay -tro) hence PEE-dro.... just don't say PAY-dro as it is incorrect in Spanish as well as in PEE-dro.
First of all the "correct" Spanish pronunciation as many of you are incorrectly saying is not "PAY-dro" - it is a short "e" not long - please get it correct, not that difficult. Second, the local "colloquilaism" is PEE-dro - I have heard from my local PEE-dro Italian and Croation friends that it is due to it's long established Ischian and Croatian roots that it is derived form their pronunciation of Saint Peter being San Pietro (Pee - ay -tro) hence PEE-dro.... just don't say PAY-dro as it is incorrect in Spanish as well as in PEE-dro.
Ed - Thanks, that was very informative... I do love Peee-droan history.
I recently met a group from San Pedro on a cruise. I went over and said, "hey, I'm a Peeeeedo kid too". Cheers all around. That's us. That's where we grew up, that's where we are from, that's where we live, that's HOME - no matter where else life may take us.
The "Correct" pronunciations of many, many towns, is split. How the word is said in the language from whence the name was taken AND the way the locals say it. That's life. I'm told that although we say Tu-sohn for the Arizona city, the Indian pronunciation is TUK-sun. Oh well. It makes life interesting.
I'm wondering whether the LAPD recording also says Lohs AHNG-ha-les instead of the typical pronumciation of Las ANGE-e-LEES.
Jack Nicholson calls it Peedro in the film 'Chinatown'. You can't argue with Jack.
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Why isn't there a question about the incorrect pronunciation of Redondo and Hermosa?
You know you've met a real out-of-towner when they ask you where Sep-pul-VEE-duh is.
I was raised in San Pedro S'56 and know how to pronounce it. All my Spanish speaking friends from Pedro also pronounce it Peedro. If you pronounce it Paydro you are not from the area.
When I was a kid we were in L.A. and my friend was asked where she was from and she answered Peedro, Man. That was over 50 years ago. We all laughed and the guy answered, Oh, Ok.
I was in the Air Force and everyone should know that the whole world Knew where San Peedro was. No one pronounced it Paydro.
Stupid, ignorant, and thoughtless folks pronounce the name of the town
"San" as in sad(d) and then say "paydro.
You are correct to use the spanish terms IF you do it with BOTH words!
You are also correct if you say San (as in san(d) Peedro.
You simply cannot and must not say one word one way and the other word the other way.
Either say it in Spanish or use the English usage.
You show yourself to be less than articulate when you say Sahn Peedro or San Paydro and not either Sahn Paydro or San Peedro.
If you're that anal just say "Peedro"........
California is full of Spanish place names that are not correctly pronounced.
Los An-ja-les instead of Los Angeles
Las Fee-lis instead of Los Feliz
San Raf-el instead of San Rafael
Los Ban-os (you get the point)
If you try to pronuonce these correctly, locals will think you are from Ohio.
Ed- Great comment! I would add that Peedro is also the correct pronunciation among the area's OTHER fishing population (in addition to the Italians & Croatians) the Portuguese! They say (in Portuguese) Sao instead of San, but they do say Peedro. There used to be quite a large Portuguese population in Pedro, but not so much anymore.
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