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Mackay Cedar
a type of wood. Note that it is pronounced "Mackay", as in "say". Normally, "Mackay" is prounounced as in "why". This change in pronunciation occurred because the Mayor of Mackay (in the early 20th century) thought the "y" sound was better in terms of image. Consequently, "Mackay cedar" is a fossilised word: I built my house out of Mackay cedar.
Editor's comments: Do people from Mackay generally pronounce the name of their town with the last syllable rhyming with 'why'? Or do some say it to rhyme with 'hay'?
Contributor's comments: The editor asks how the people in Mackay pronounce Mackay. While I was growing up just out side of Mackay, the local news paper, The Mackay Daily Mercury, decided to find out how the pronuncation should be. They tracked down the decendents of the founder of Mackay, a captain John Mackay. They went back to Scotland for this information and the result is Mackay is pronounced as in "why". The locals at the time did pronounce it this way but new arrivals said it was not spelt this way. I would say the Mackay Daily Mercury carried out this exercise in the 1950s.
Contributor's comments: The 20 or so years I lived there, I always pronounced it with the ending ryming with "why". Although saying this, my family having a maltese origin, most pronounced it using the ending ryming with "hay". I think it was easier for them to say.