----- Original Message -----
From: "Connie Lapallo" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 8:07 PM
Subject: [VA-HIST] Jordan's Journey


> Samuel would have pronounced his name "JERR-den." His ancestors probably
> came to England from France after the Hundred Years war. This distinct
> pronounciation survived in Virginia for many years, and is distinguishable
> from the ancient family of English Jordans who pronounce it more as we
> would expect: "JOR-den".

When I was growing up in Richmond, there were no JOR-dens. My mother's
grandmother was a JER-den, and the grocery store at the corner of Forest
Hill and Westover Hills Blvd. was JER-den's. JER-den has fallen by
the wayside, a victim of radio and TV, just like the real pronunciation of
Henrico, which is Hen-REC-oh, not Hen-RIKE-oh.

---
Ann Avery Hunter
Winston-Salem, NC

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