Posts from August 3rd, 2026

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"...

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