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What's Up With What Cheer?

If you've spent time touring Iowa, you've noticed signs for towns like What Cheer, Des Moines and Maquoketa. You've also probably seen signs for rivers named "Raccoon" and "Nishnabotna." Where did those place names come from, and what's the best way to pronounce them? 

During this hour of Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe talks with word maven Patricia O'Conner, who is author of the book Woe is I andauthor of the blog "Grammarphobia."

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Lindsey Moon is IPR's Senior Digital Producer
Charity Nebbe is the host of IPR's Talk of Iowa