Latakia Surprise

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denholrl

Might Stick Around
Mar 27, 2011
79
130
Re Greg Pease's article on changes in tobacco tastes: Sam Atalah, the owner of Cigar Empire in Santa Barbara, CA, where our club meets, is from a town near Latakia, Syria. He told me that Latakia is pronounced La-TAH-kee-a, not La-ta-KEE-ah as we've been calling it for all these years! Wow! Live and learn.

 

nemrod

Can't Leave
Apr 28, 2011
337
1
Sweden
I've pronounced it the proper way, then. It just came that way naturally to me, not having heard anyone else pronounce it before. In Swedish it would be the natural way to pronounce it and though I might be mistaken, isn't it the same in English? Why would you pronounce it the way you have? Is that the natural way to pronounce a word spelled like that in English?

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
It's kind of like the state of Mississippi.

Some say Miss-iss-ippi.

I personally like upset my cousins over there and say Mis-SIS-sippi.

 

admin

Smoking a Pipe Right Now
Staff member
Nov 16, 2008
8,764
4,932
St. Petersburg, FL
pipesmagazine.com
Funny that is how I was originally pronouncing it, and then heard everyone else saying it the other way at the Chicago show 2 years ago and followed along with the crowd.

 

assaad

Can't Leave
Apr 4, 2011
340
2
My father is from Lebanon so I have grown up speaking a bit of Arabic; I always thought I was pronouncing it wrong, but, the fact that so many people pronounced it Lata-KEE-a made me think that was how I should pronounce it.

 

ohin3

Lifer
Jun 2, 2010
2,454
26
Like Kevin, I always pronounced it laTAkia and then changed after hearing everyone else say lataKIa. Glad I can go back to my natural way of saying it.

 

nw7us

Lurker
Jan 3, 2013
4
0
Omaha, NE
Regarding the pronunciation of "Latakia" -- it is la-TALK-ee-ah -- see: http://g.nw7us.us/14ojyDh -- here you will hear a new reporter naming the city in Syria.
Speaking of... I made my own blend, a "Balkin/Englsh" blend. I talk about it here:
http://g.nw7us.us/10VMD2x

 

redbeard

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 2, 2013
841
4
I was able to pick up a small bag today and while talking with the guy that worked there (no way a tobacconist) (sorry for spelling) attempted to say Latakia and stopped at "La.... Ummm I don't know how to say that one" LOL now I know.
I opened the bag to give it a snff and wow... Smells soooo smokey! I want to try it but then can't bring myself to buy the whole bag. I need to do some more research on this stuff

 

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,994
redbeard:
Few pipe smokers would smoke latakia straight; it's primarily used as a condimental tobacco -- making up anything from a "pinch" in a blend to 30-50% of a blend. And despite the aroma -- which can be quite "campfire smokey" -- it's a fairly mild-tasting tobacco.
Not that you care, but, like "cavendish," latakia isn't a specific type of tobacco leaf. Latakia refers to an oriental tobacco that has been smoke-cured to give it its distinctive flavor/aroma. It's quite low in nicotine.
Bob

 

nw7us

Lurker
Jan 3, 2013
4
0
Omaha, NE
Yes, smoke-cured tobacco. Like smoked salmon or smoked jerky. Nothing like it! I highly esteem a blend containing Latakia.

 
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