Talk:Mantua, Utah

pronunciation

So the <t> really is silent, huh? Just checking. kwami 04:36, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

In Ohio, the village of Mantua and Mantua Township (the namesake of Mantua, Utah) are pronounced MAN-uh-way, and I've heard the village in Utah is pronouced the same, but it would be nice of some people from in and around Mantua, Utah could comment to make sure. It would make sense that they share the same pronunciation, but it doesn't necessarily mean they do. --JonRidinger (talk) 04:39, 11 February 2008 (UTC)

I have cousins who live in Mantua, Utah, and they really do pronounce it this way. Ntsimp (talk) 01:00, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

Many of my inlaws hail from Mantua, and I have been there several times. I've always heard the 't' pronounced: MAN-tuh-way (with the emphasis on the first syllable). Begeun (talk) 15:45, 19 July 2009 (UTC)

I lived in Mantua during the census. It is pronounced with a silent T. Today, 18 July is 'Little River Days' there is a parade this morning, the bowery will be buzzing all day, and fireworks over the reservoir tonight. See ya there.Notaeh (talk) 14:45, 18 July 2009 (UTC)

Lived in Utah for about 45 years now and learned to pronounce it MAN-too-way. Trappist the monk (talk) 16:55, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

What part of Utah have you lived in? I know in Ohio, people from outside the area of Mantua generally don't follow the local pronunciation (MAN uh way) and will pronounce the 'T', so that may be true in Utah as well. Not saying you're wrong; just saying it may be an issue of locality. --JonRidinger (talk) 17:03, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Northern but south of Mantua. I wonder if the T sound has been dropped because it's simply quicker and easier - especially for children just learning to speak who then, years later, pass the mispronunciation on to their children and so it goes. The slurring of the T sound in the English pronunciation (MAN-choo-uh) may have similar roots. But, what do I know? Trappist the monk (talk) 13:44, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

I'm sure you're on to something as there is no documentation as to why Mantua, Ohio is pronounced the way it is. There were likely a variety of factors, including a possible lack of understanding of the actual pronunciation and a definite lack of standardization in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, not to mention the New England roots of the early Ohio settlers. The fact that Mantua, Utah is named after the Ohio township and appears to have adopted the same unusual pronunciation (at least to some degree) shows to me that it's a pretty long-standing pronunciation and likely one the early Mormon settlers, Lorenzo Snow in particular, brought with them from the East. --JonRidinger (talk) 20:00, 28 September 2009 (UTC)