Buena, the Name

Press of Atlantic City, 5/3/09

A weekly feature that answers reader questions about the people, events, history and news in southern New Jersey.

UPDATE: On Nov. 30, 2008, the Answer Guy delved into the history of the pronunciation of Buena ("Byoona") Vista Township and Buena ("Byoona") Borough in Atlantic County, named after the 1847 Battle of Buena Vista that took place during the Mexican-American War.

Sources in that story, including a history written by Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello, said the altered pronunciation (from the Spanish "bwayna") may have come from Italian farmers who came to settle in the region using "bona," their own word for "good."

In other words, "Bwayna" plus "Bona" equals "Byoona."

Since then, Mark Demitroff, a resident of the Richland section of Buena Vista Township, and a Ph.D. student in the University of Delaware's geography program, has posited a different theory.

According to Demitroff, the repronounced name could date indirectly to 1415, specifically the Battle of Agincourt, a skirmish during the Hundred Years' War in which the English defeated the French. Demitroff says the English were averse to using French pronunciations and so changed them to their liking, an act William Shakespeare highlighted in his historical play Henry V.

"I suggest that in 1848, our residents, triumphant over Spain, would never dignify the name with a Spanish pronunciation," Demitroff wrote. "Like the English at Agincourt in 1415, the Americans in 1847 were outnumbered by formidable foes yet won handily. To the victors go the spoils, and, apparently, the pronunciations."

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If you have a question you would like the Answer Guy to tackle, call 609-569-7489, or mail your question to The Press Answer Guy, The Press of Atlantic City, 11 Devins Lane, Pleasantville, NJ 08232. Questions can be faxed to 609-272-7224. E-mail: answerguy@pressofac.com

Answer Guy: How do you say: "Buena"? (Press of Atlantic City, 11/30/08)

Q: My husband and I moved to New Jersey from North Carolina a few years ago. I assumed that Buena was pronounced "bwayna," but we learned that people here pronounce it "byoona." Why is that?

Meg Eagle, Millville

Answer Guy: The word "Buena" traveled a long, hard road from the battlefields of the Southwest to rural southern New Jersey.

The term "Buena Vista" - Spanish for "good view" - first appeared in the region in 1848, when George B. Cake opened the Buena Vista Hotel.

The name was a reference to the Battle of Buena (That's "bwayna") Vista, part of the Mexican-American War of 1846-48.

The name stuck. Buena Vista Township was incorporated in 1867, freeing itself from Hamilton Township, one of the original large land masses that made up Atlantic County when it formed in 1837.

According to Mayor Chuck Chiarello, who wrote the township history on its Web site and addressed the pronunciation issue in a 2003 article in The Press of Atlantic City, Italian farmers who came to settle in the township may have begun tinkering with the name, using their word "bona." The two pronunciations eventually may have combined and evolved into "byoona."

"At least that's the story, but really, it's one of the great mysteries," Chiarello said in 2003.

"Anything like that is not going to be written down," says Gail Benson, of the township historical society. Benson agreed the pronunciation likely is a derivative of the farmers' dialect.

Either way, the word was so nice the county used it twice: Buena Borough broke off from the township in 1949, taking the land but keeping the name.

Source: Buena Vista Township Web site and Historical Society, Buena Borough Web site, Press archives

To whom it may concern:

I am writing you this letter after years of confusion. With all due respect, should not the proper pronunciation of the name of your town be Buena "pronounced Bwayna" and not Bewna "pronounced Byoona"? I have always understood Buena Vista to mean Beautiful View in Spanish. Am I wrong? If I am not wrong, may I inquire as to why the majority of people in southern New Jersey mispronounce the word Buena? I am thinking that there must be a reason for this. Do you have any history on the naming of the town? Just curious. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Robin

Dear Robin:

It has been quite some time since you wrote to us regarding the name and pronunciation of our community. First, you can find a lot out about us at www.buenavistatownship.org . Our history and other interesting things are on our site. I'm thinking of adding your letter and my response if that's OK? I apologize for the delay in answering--but I wanted to respond directly to you.

As per "Bwayna" vs. "Bewna" that's local slang and interpretation. I'm told the early Italian farmers in this area originally said "Bona" instead of Bwayna--and so it evolved. I've heard "good view" and "beautiful view" for Buena Vista and so on--you pick. "Bona" eventually became "Beyoona" (Buena). Someone else may even have another story to tell.

The area also has the "Morris" River spelled Maurice River. Atlantic City always had "Ar-Kansas" Avenue right where "Ar-kan-saw" Avenue (Arkansas) was located (when I was a kid). Go figure!! We know the proper origins but you can't change history--or sometimes you don't want to! We also know who the "out-of-towners" are when they say the name of our town--which we are very proud of ! I hope this has been of some help.

Mayor Chuck Chiarello

Buena Vista Township, NJ

Dear Mayor,

Thank you for your response. As a Mayor, I know that you must be very busy, so It was nice of you to take the time to write me directly. I have just always been confused by the pronunciation of the name of the town. I understand what you mean by how pronunciations of names change. It is the same with Atzion Lake, which many people pronounce as Adzine. Well, I was just curious. The name of your town seems to be European in nature, and I was just wondering why the pronunciation was so a skewed. My last name is an Italian name and people in this country try to pronounce it phonetically, and then say that they are pronouncing it that way because the are in America. I never did quite understand that theory, I don't know why it would change according to my locale. Oh well, again, thank you for taking the time to answer me. That is very kind of you. And please, if you wouldn't mind, forward me a copy of my original letter, as I no longer have it.

Sincerely,

Robin Bianchi