Unfortunately it's a geographical quirk. Here in SC, people seem to have a need of pronouncing everything in contradiction to the Webster dictionary. They sell IN-surance, not in-SHUR-ance, you eat an ERnge, not an orange, a popular name in Michaelis, normally pronounced Mi-kay-les is MIKe-a -lis , Kinnard, normally Kin-NARD is KIYE-nerd, Geiger, a very well known German name, pronounced GUY-ger, is here, GEE-ger. THE, when preceding a vowel or vowel sounding word is THEE, but here, it's THUH apple, THUH Earth....etc. The school system is rapidly deterriorating so no corrections are made, if even it is known to the teacher. Family school help is all but gone, outside of families who choose to home school their children. If the child learns in school; "I don't have any", and all he/she hears at home is "Ah ain't got none" where are we heading? [:'(] Check it out....these children want to grow up and be managers or CEOs. [:@] Maybe they will get a job writing assembly directions in China or Pakistan.