Counting Time with One Mississippi

A Seattle, Washington, listener wants to know why, when marking time, we say “one Mississippi, two Mississippi,” as opposed to other states or rivers. In the United Kingdom, they’re more likely to say hippopotamus. Some people count instead with the word banana, or Nevada, or one thousand one. Also, a mnemonic for spelling the pesky name Mississippi: :M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked-letter-I-humpback-humpback-I.” This is part of a complete episode.