In article <v02130501ad6c40edc78a@[204.215.131.99]>, Edward Rodley
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
> Living in Cambridge, MA which boasts an Agassiz Street, an Agassiz School,
> and a museum or two that owe their existence to him, I've never heard any
> other pronounciation than AH-guh-see (the "AH" is a broad vowel, close to a
> short a and the "guh" is really a "g-schwah")

Unfortunately, local pronunciation is not always a reliable indicator.  Near
Pittsburgh (my current home) are the towns of DuBois (DOO-boys) and North
Versailles (vur-SALES).  In Colorado, there are the towns of Buena Vista
(bee-YOU-nuh VISS-tuh) and Montrose (MON-der-rose).  Santa Barbara, California
has a strong Spanish influence in names, which are mangled as follows:  Isla
Vista (EYE-luh VISS-tuh); Calle Real (CAL-ee REEL); Refugio (usually
ruh-FYOU-jee-oh, occasionally ruh-FOO-fee-oh, differing in 2 syllables); El
Colegio (ell coll-EE-jee-oh); etc.

I was taught that the "proper" pronunciation of the glaciologist's name was
uh-GAHSS-ee.

Robin Panza                     [log in to unmask]
Section of Birds
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh PA  USA