Revisiting Long Island Place Names

Pronouncing local places can often reveal if someone is an outsider. For instance, if someone says “cawffee,” it’s clear they don’t quite belong to Long Island. Surprisingly, even those familiar with areas coded by 516 and 631 aren’t always spot on.

Videos posted by teams like the New York Islanders and Long Island Ducks have highlighted the names of Native American towns, such as Onetags and Patchogs, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.

Yet, it doesn’t take much to uncover how generations have messed up pronunciations of places like Masapekua and Ronkonkoma. According to Harry Wallace, a long-time chief of the Kechaug tribe and an Algonquin expert, these names sound quite different from how they are said today.

“Our language was never designed for translation into English or French. It’s more about the sounds,” he mentioned, reflecting on his background on the island.

He pointed out the roots of Algonquin languages, suggesting that they share elements with many Native American tongues. Interestingly, they have similarities to Romance languages derived from Latin, like French and Spanish.

However, during colonial expansion, much got lost as European settlers struggled with pronunciation. Wallace emphasized the significance of certain hard consonants that are critical in Algonquin languages.

Over hundreds of years, the correct pronunciations faded away, often turning into an ongoing game of telephone.

Wallace acknowledged that there isn’t a single standard for how islanders say place names, citing the example of “Wanta.” He remarked that the local twist on Patchogs as “patchhogs” is fairly close to the original.

Copiag

Locals and even the Long Island Railroad refer to this Suffolk community as “co-peg.” However, Wallace argues it should be closer to “co-ah-e,” with a short “I” and a long “E.”

“[Europeans] added vague interpretations to many words,” he noted.

Masapekua

This town, which grabbed President Trump’s attention over mascot issues, isn’t correctly pronounced “Massia Papaa,” Wallace clarified. Instead, like other Algonquin names, it resembles “Massachusetts,” lacking an open vowel at the end. It translates to a place rich in water.

Cutchogue

Last spoken as “Kutchhog,” this picturesque North Fork getaway actually sounded more like “Kutchhog” in its original form. The meaning, similarly to Masapekua, is “great place.”

Setauket

Unlike what many think, Setauket should be pronounced “Se tau a ki,” referring to “the place of a stream.” It’s an entirely different sound than how it’s perceived compared to other locations.

Ronkonkoma

In pop culture, Neil Patrick Harris portrayed a version sounding like “Ron Khan Mama,” but the true pronunciation is “roncon Koman.”

The history of the name traces back to Kettle Lake, shaped by glaciers. One meaning tied to Ronkomá is “the location of a deep cave,” linked to urban legends and Native American folklore.