The state's name must legally be pronounced in three syllables, with a silent final "s" and the accent on the first and last syllables.

Trouble-o-Meter
You won't go to jail, but it is banned in official proceedings.

Status: still on the books

Why Is This a Law?

The state's name comes from a Native American tribe, but French explorers added a plural "s." In 1881, the legislature legally mandated the French pronunciation to end a bitter feud between two senators.

A citizen earnestly dealing with the law: The state's name must legally be pronounced in three syllables, with a silent final "s" and the accent on the first and last syllables.