When I first moved to Charlottesville, I made the mistake of thinking I knew how to say local words & phrases. But I quickly realized that I was making it very obvious that I wasn't from around here. Over ten years later, you'll still know I'm a New Yorker from the way I say "cawfee" but at least I've learned how to say "Crozet."

Crozet is said "crow-zay." It does not rhyme with "closet." The first time I went to King Family Vineyards and they poured me a glass of "rosé from Crozet" and the pronunciation rhymed, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head. And that is officially the way I explain it to people now.

"Rye-oh Road." Not "Ree-oh." There are a few stories about how this pronunciation came to be. One is that an old map showed "R10" for a road or railroad stop named Route 10 in the area. Another story says that the pronunciation was changed to make outsiders stand out during the Civil War. Whatever the reason, we still say "Rye-oh" today.

 "Icks" Art Park. Not "Eye X" or "9". In this case, the area is named for Frank Ix who owned a silk mill on the land from 1928-1999. When the Art Park was first dreamed up, they named it after the business which was once a major employer in the area.

Stanardsville only has one "D" in it. The town is named after Robert Stanard who surveyed the first lots for the town in 1794.  Despite this fact, you'll regularly see people add the second "D" in both written and spoken versions of the name.

No list would be complete without acknowledging that the University of Virginia has "Grounds" and not a "Campus." Even UVA's list of "Lingo and Traditions" doesn't explain why they call it Grounds, but it is common knowledge that saying "campus" points to you as an outsider.

And a bonus UVA fact, students will describe themselves as "First Year," "Second Year," "Third Year," and "Fourth Year" students instead of the traditional freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. This stems from Thomas Jefferson's belief that education is a life-long process and there is no final end to the learning experience.

If a move to Charlottesville is in  your future, knowing the right way to say these words & phrases will help you fit right in with your new neighbors. And if you need more tips on how to complete a move to Charlottesville from a distance, call our team at 434-214-6121 to see how we can help.