Wyoming residents disagree on pronunciation of creek

A conversation overheard in Cheyenne highlighted a common regional disagreement. Two men discussed the same location but used different words to describe it. One man said crick. The other man said creek.

The men looked around to ensure no one else heard the exchange. They were discussing Deer Creek. The location is a small, naturally flowing body of water. It is smaller than a river but larger than a brook. These waterways feed into larger rivers and support local wildlife.

The distinction between the two words is dialectal rather than technical. Merriam-Webster lists crick as a noun. The primary definition describes a painful spasmodic condition of muscles. A secondary definition identifies it as a dialect form of creek. The dictionary also lists crick as a verb meaning to turn or twist something into a strained position.

Residents of Wyoming use the terms interchangeably. The variation is similar to other regional differences in English. Some people say wash while others say worsh. Some say y'all while others say you all. Regional preferences also exist for terms like bubbler or drinking fountain, and cattywampus or crooked.

Other common variations include the pronunciation of potato and tomato. Some residents refer to a shopping cart as a buggy. The word mayonnaise is pronounced differently by various speakers. These differences do not change the meaning of the words. They simply reflect where a person is from.

The author of the account noted that family members from different parts of the country use different pronunciations. Cousins in the family have different preferences. One says creek with a sound like Greek. The other says crick. The author has always used the creek pronunciation.

The debate over the word is a matter of local character. There is no single correct way to say it. The two terms refer to the same natural feature. The choice of word often depends on a person's background and regional habits.