Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum

General Category => Willys Forum => Topic started by: Logan on June 05, 2014, 12:56:34 PM

Title: Stupid Question
Post by: Logan on June 05, 2014, 12:56:34 PM

This may well show the depth of my ignorance, but I have a pronunciation question.  Most people seem to say, "Willies," (rhymes with fillies), but I have also heard, and believe to be correct, "Willis," (i.e. as in Bruce).  Can an expert help me so I do not commit an error at the next meet?

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Terry T on June 05, 2014, 01:36:14 PM

THE LATTER IS CORRECT

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Logan on June 05, 2014, 02:16:39 PM

Thanks!

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: pnw_oldmags on June 05, 2014, 03:51:39 PM

For an FYI -  In discussions with Edgar Kaiser's daughters they said Dutch Darrin always pronounced his name as Dah-rin not Dare-In.   At least that is the story from around their Dinner Table. 
Guess we should change the way we say the name of the roadster named after him then.

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Aeroman on June 06, 2014, 10:56:59 PM

John North Willys was the owner of the name and he pronounced it WILL-iss, just like actor Bruce Willis pronounces his name. And it's spelled Willys, not Willies and it has no apostrophe in it (Willy's). And Frazer is Frazer, not Frazier or Fraser.
Very common errors. We need to educate the world.

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: vettelang on June 07, 2014, 07:00:25 AM

I grew up about a mile from the plant and never heard anyone say they worked at the Willis, the pronounciation around there was Willys (Overland).

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Dragon on June 07, 2014, 07:36:13 AM

I believe Willis came from the south.  People around Toledo factory always said Willys.  Every time I heard Willis they were from the south.

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: pnw_oldmags on June 07, 2014, 05:57:03 PM

That settles it our new car is going to always called an Aero Lark!

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Corsairdeluxe on June 07, 2014, 06:08:05 PM

We in the south are used to our nawthen friends and their strange pronunciations. For instance they refer to the strip between opposing lanes on the highway a ”Median”. Everyone knows it’s a “Mediterranean”,

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Dragon on June 07, 2014, 09:24:51 PM

And it is Kay-sir not Kiser.

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: MarkH on July 07, 2014, 01:27:29 PM

I've always pronounced it as Willies as everyone else I've met seems to. However, my son just sent me this youtube link to a 1954 TV commercial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdHp5mM56ts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdHp5mM56ts)

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Logan on July 07, 2014, 08:14:03 PM

Hey, thanks for that!  That does seem pretty definitive, no?  At least for the 'official' way to pronounce it, if there is one.

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: 84RabbitGTI on July 13, 2014, 02:54:21 PM

We need to persuade the folks who have these commercials in a form closer to the original, to digitize them in higher definition.

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: Logan on July 13, 2014, 05:24:21 PM

Yes, that would be great to see them in a higher quality.

Title: Re: Stupid Question
Post by: HJ-ETEX on August 08, 2014, 08:19:52 PM

Referring to Jim Betts posting It's Mary Kay Cosmetics International Pink.