There are three things that Portlanders hold dear:
- The amount of breweries in our city.
- Not letting the rain get to us (or at least pretending not to).
- Pronouncing puzzling street names with aplomb.
For anyone who’s confused on that last one — Google Maps, we’re looking at you — this pronunciation guide will help steer you in the right direction and give you some background.
Couch: COOCH
This is no pronunciation to slouch about. Named after a ship captain from Massachusetts who sailed to Oregon, knowing how to say this street in the Alphabet District is often a weird rite of passage in Portland.
Resist the urge to call it “Couch Street.”
Photo via Giphy
Deschutes: de-SHOOTS
Whether you’re heading to get a beer in the Pearl District, or planning on rafting the river in Central Oregon, understand this word is rooted in the region’s fur trapping history.
Glisan: GLISS-en
Oof — sometimes it’s tough to do, but as one that Portlanders love to correct people on, it turns out we were all wrong. Although “GLEE-son” is the widely-accepted utterance, Sally Glisan, a descendant of the street’s namesake, set the record straight.
Marquam: MARK-um
Named after a settler — as most things are in the PNW — you should avoid the traditional “qu” sound to avoid any questioning looks.
Schuyler: SKY-ler
Phillip C. Schuyler, noted 19th-century lover of the arts, gives this roadway its name. If you have a hard time remembering this, just look up.
Weidler: WIDE-ler
Give those “WEED-ler” pronunciations a wide berth, and you’ll be good to go with this famed transportation magnate.
Willamette: will-LAM-it
The river. The valley. The boulevard. All the same, and should never rhyme with “Betty.”
