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i_want_my_corncob_tv t1_j9fczop wrote

Reply to comment by mrsc1880 in TIL of Macadam roads. These roads were convex, raised a few inches, and made of layered crushed rock; they were state-of-the-art for the 19th century. The rise of automobiles led to the dust issues that were solved by binding the roads with tar, leading to the invention of tarmac. by jamescookenotthatone

do you pronounce it mack-uh-dam or m'caddum?

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der_innkeeper t1_j9fhbud wrote

mack-uh-dam

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SlyFlourishXDA t1_j9fkxsk wrote

I grew up on the border of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and we pronounce it "mack-adam."

So interesting how words are pronounced differently even within the tristate area.

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jimmmymmmij t1_j9hp4gc wrote

I suspect Phineas and Ferb have something to do with this..

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adfthgchjg t1_j9fngci wrote

m’caddum. Googled “pronounce macadam” and it said“muh CA dum” (emphasis is on the middle syllable). The google answer page also speaks it out loud, to remove any possible confusion.

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mrsc1880 t1_j9fq4hk wrote

People around here pronounce it like mu-CAD-um.

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