Arkansas Has a Law on How to Say 'Arkansas'

Most states are content to let people butcher their names without legislative intervention. Not Arkansas. In 1881, the state's General Assembly got so fed up with pronunciation confusion that they actually passed a law—Arkansas Code § 1-4-105—officially declaring how the state's name should be said.

The statute is oddly specific. It mandates that "Arkansas" be pronounced in three syllables, with the final "s" silent, the "a" in each syllable having "the Italian sound," and the accent on the first and last syllables. In other words: AR-kan-saw, not Ar-KAN-zas.

The Great Pronunciation Debate

Why did this require legislation? The confusion stems from the state's French and Native American linguistic heritage. "Arkansas" comes from a French interpretation of a Quapaw word. But its similarity to "Kansas" (from a related but different Native term) led many people to pronounce it like its neighbor to the north.

By the late 1800s, even state legislators and officials couldn't agree on the correct pronunciation. Some said "Ar-KAN-zas," others "AR-kan-saw." The 1881 resolution was meant to settle the debate once and for all for official proceedings.

Is It Actually Illegal?

Here's where the legend gets ahead of reality: No, it's not illegal to mispronounce Arkansas. There's no criminal penalty, no fine, no jail time. The law simply establishes the official pronunciation for government use. It's a pronunciation guideline with legal status, not a criminal statute.

The resolution specifically calls the Ar-KAN-zas pronunciation "an innovation to be discouraged," which is delightfully passive-aggressive for a legal document. It's the legislative equivalent of "we're not mad, just disappointed."

Why It Still Matters

Even without enforcement mechanisms, the law serves a purpose. It provides a definitive answer for:

• State government proceedings and official documents
• News broadcasters and media outlets
• Teachers explaining state history
• Settling arguments at dinner parties

And it makes Arkansas one of the few states quirky enough to legislate linguistics. The law remains on the books today, over 140 years later, still gently reminding everyone that it's AR-kan-saw, thank you very much.