According to the "Columbia Gazetteer," Conesus is kuh-NEE-suhs.

According to Merriam-Webster, sumac is SHU-mak.

(The college is Canisius.)

>>> "Smith, Gregory (PEB)" <[log in to unmask]> 04/26/00 02:48PM >>>
I grew up in Bath and spent many hours fishing the Finger Lakes.  In my
family, we always pronounced the lake Kah-nee-shus.  But then again, my
parents always pronounced sumac as SHU-MAK.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Minor [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 12:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Conesus Lake pronunciation


Listers,

I'd like some feedback from members familiar with this smaller Finger Lake.
My family always pronounced it Kah-nee-sus, my wife's family as though it
were Kah-nee-shus (as in Canisius). Haven't been able to locate Native
American derivation/pronunciation. Both families had cottages on the lake
when we were growing up.

Any theories to account for the discrepency/anomoly/phenomonen?

David Minor


David Minor
Eagles Byte Historical Research
Pittsford, New York
716 264-0423
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