Todd wrote:
>
>No. "Willis" is the only correct pronunciation. I have a few factory films
>that have this throughout them. I think the factory would know how to
>pronounce their own company name...
Humm.......Some time ago I had this discussion with a southern friend of
mine. Us folks up here in Detroit, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio have always
called it Will-eez. So, I decided to check this out with some people I know
that worked at the Willys Overland (jeep) plant. My friend John Gradomski
(MVPA member from Toledo) works at the plant (and has for many years) and
he pronounces it Will-eez. I asked his mother (who retired from the same
plant many years ago and she pronounces it Will-eez. I then asked his
Grandmother who retired from Willys many,many years ago (her job was
stamping data plates) and she also pronounces it Will-eez. I regularly
attend gun shows in Toledo and often talk to people who worked at, or
retired from, the plant and every one of them pronounces Willys as
Will-eez. In fact, I have never come across anyone in this area who
pronounces Willys as Willis.
Now, Todd makes a good point about the movies he has. You would
think that they would pronounce it correctly (assuming that the films were
made by Willys and not an outside company). However........you would think
that everyone who works/worked at the factory or lives in the city where
the factory is located, would pronounce it correctly also. I should note
that even in my interviews with old time Ford people about the GP/GPW,
every one of them also pronounced it Will-eez.
So......If your in Toledo, Ohio and you ask someone where the old
Willis factory is , and they look at you with a blank stare like you were
speaking greek, you'll know why........
Of course my southern friend also calls Ford (pronounced correctly
For-da) ......Fo-ward..........
Jim Gilmore MVPA # 5843
Member Ist Michigan AOD Chapter MVPA
Great Lakes Chapter MVPA
Ohio Motor Pool Chapter MVPA
Red Ball Chapter MVPA
Ontario Military Vehicle Association
Midwest Military Vehicle Assocation
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313-561-8826 voice 313-730-1652 fax
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Jan 05 2000 - 22:42:08 PST