say it right!

There is an ad on the radio now that bugs the hell out of me.

UMass is pronounced u-MASS. Not YOU-mass. I don't know why, I know most other states emphasize the U (YOU-conn, YOU NH, YOU VM, YOU Maine, etc). But for some reason, it's u-MASS. Ask any graduate of the University of Massachusetts system where he or she went to school. The answer will be u-Mass. Not YOU mass.

So why, I ask, does an ad running on MA radio stations that is trying to promote Massachusetts schools say YOU-Mass? They have children at all different levels of education speaking about their schooling and then there's a voice at the end telling you to support Massachusetts education. We all know these are paid actors. But if you are selling Massachusetts schools to Massachusetts residents, maybe try to have them pronounce the name of the school correctly. When people from out of MA say YOU mass, it doesn't bother me. I don't know of any other school that doesn't emphasize the You. But here in MA we don't. So say it correctly.