For 18 years, the Rancho Music Association has performed this historical satire for over 15,000 people. Chuck and Madge Griffing are the dynamos behind the production and although many characters and scenes (and those who play them) are staples of the show from year to year, every show gets a redo in the form of parodying some new folly or event.  The next time you can see the show is March 19, 20 and 26, 27, 1999, at Chaparral High School. Watch for ticket information.

This valley is a melting pot of languages, making a newcomer stick out like a sore thumb. In an effort to help you feel like an old-timer, I offer up a pronunciation guide.

Take our two major names, Temecula and Murrieta, one is Native American, one is Spanish. If you are still saying Tem-e-cool-a, you may have to go back to where you came from. Ta-mek-you-lah, according to legend (or Temeculi-Temecula, whichever you consider the definitive source) is an indian word meaning where the "sun shines through the mist." Murrieta, is named for Juan Murrieta and is pronounced Mure (like pure) ee-etta, not Murr (like purr) ee-etta.

E. Hale Curran, Murrieta’s resident historian, said Murrieta used to be spelled with two "t’s". She still has an old hand postmark with the two "t" spelling. I asked her how the change came about. She said "a good many years ago" someone looked up an old document with Juan Murrieta’s signature on it and caught the mistake.

Temecula has a similar problem.You can find street signs for General Kearny Road spelled both Kearney and Kearny (Compton’s Encyclopedia says Kearny is right) and we aren’t even going to get into whether he pronounced it by the english Kern-y or the Scotch Car-ney, spelled the same way.

According to Donna Brantly, Murrieta Valley Unified School District named three schools based on the research of Ron Wickerd, using Luiseno words for different trees. Shivela (pronounced Shi-veigh-la), translates as sycamore; Avaxat (pronounced with all short "a’s", as A-va-ha), to cottonwood; and Tovashal (pronounced Toe-va-shawl), means white oak. I do not know what Temescal Canyon derives from, but I have a hard time saying it right. According to the student answering their phones, the emphasis goes on the second syllable and the last sound drops off: Te-MES-cull, not Te-MES-cal like you are saying Cal State.

The other dominant pronunciation is Spanish and can get you in trouble if you are saying WHY-nez or I-nez, instead of EE-nez for Ynez Road. I now live off of French language roads but I used to live off a Calle. When giving directions, I gave up using my best Espanol pronunciation of "kie-yeah", which no one related to "Calle", always forcing me to spell it for them, and went with the Americanized version of "Cal-lay" (or would that be the French way to say it?).

So, as a rule, stick with the Native American or Spanish pronunciations, unless you are in one of the neighborhoods now using French, or English, or is it German -- is Heitz Lane pronounced "Heights" like in "Heinz" catsup or "Heetz"? But, back to generally, as a rule, stick with Native American or Spanish pronunciations, always being careful, because you may run into Pujol Street. Named for wealthy Spaniard Mercedes Pujol, pronouncing the street with an Espanol flair doesn’t translate well in English. Instead, give it a little French by softly rolling Pooh-zhul.

Visit The Crall Space Board to read what local residents have to say about our local issues and post your own opinion.

Contact Shari Crall at:  shari@temeculainternet.com