Transcript
Illinois - we don't pronounce the S at the end. Il-uh-noy. Illinois. Indiana. Now, in this state name, the I is pronounced as opposed to Florida, where it drops out. However, it is pronounced attached to the 'ana'; it's not so much it's own stark syllable. Indiana.
Iowa. Again, this state has a W in it so be careful that your mouth really does form that W sound. Iowa.
Kansas. Now, the last A in this state name is very much so, again, an unaccented syllable, kind of just like an 'uh' sound, a very very quick schwa. It is surrounded by these two S's. The first one is voiced and the second one will be unvoiced. So, the last syllable is zzuhss. Kansas.
Kentucky. The first syllable of this state name has a schwa, but as it is an unaccented syllable, it's almost like no vowel at all: kn, kn, straight from the kk to the nn. Kentucky.
Louisiana. Lou-ee-zzee-ana. Louisiana.
Maine: one-syllable state name. Maine. It has the 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong. Maine.
Maryland. Now, it has a Y in it, which is sometimes pronounced too sharp, as an ee sound. But since it's not the accented syllable, it's much more relaxed: it's a schwa. Mar-uh-lind. And the last three [4] letters, L-A-N-D, spell the word 'land' in English. However, it's really pronounced more with an 'ih' as in 'sit' sound: lind, lind. Maryland, Maryland.
Massachusetts: Mass-uh-choo-sets. Massachusetts.
Michigan. The C-H is pronounces as the 'sh' sound here: Mish-uh-gun. Michigan.
Minnesota: Minn-ih-so-da. The T is not a sharp sound, it's more the D. Minnesota.
Mississippi. Miss-ihss-ip-ee. Mississippi.
Missouri. Notice the double S here is pronounces as a zz sound (voiced): Missouri.
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