You Say Koo-tun-ee, I Say Koo-tun-ay … Let’s Get Along

SRegional Editor Scott Maben , an Oregon transplant: Kootenai is pronounced KOO-tun-ee or KOO-tun-ay (as in hay), according to the Idaho Press Club pronounciation guide . But I’ve often heard it pronounced KOOT-NEE — two syllables. Is the latter just my lazy ear, or has the pronounciation been streamlined over time?

Question: Can anyone in Huck Nation help Scott out?