# Are all British names with "-bury" pronounced "bree"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 14, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366 "2011-02-14T21:59:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/21 "2011-02-15T12:40:28Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > And Edinburgh, at least where I live, is not pronounced “EdinbUrrow” as - in my limited experience, Americans like to say - but “Edinbruh”. Although I’ve been told that the “burrow” pronunciation does exist in some places in the UK, I’ve never heard anything but “bruh”. The Scots like to say “eddin-burruh” I think. And it’s their city, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/22 "2011-02-15T12:43:35Z")
Yep, British (and for that matter, any other country’s) place names are rarely ever pronounced with any sort of standardisation. For instance, I come from a village that borders another called “Haigh”, pronounced “hey”. Others pronounce similarly named villages “Hague”. See also Cambridge, which changes depending on which particular Cambridge you are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/23 "2011-02-15T12:45:19Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > The Scots like to say “eddin-burruh” I think. And it’s their city, after all. Not that I noticed (I lived there for seven years). It’s more like Edinbruh, though there’s at least four or five different accents in Edinburgh alone, so it depends who you are talking to I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/24 "2011-02-15T13:10:12Z")
It doesn’t help that the ‘official’ sources of pronunciation sometimes get it wrong. Holborn has always had a silent ‘l’ and an ‘o’ like in ‘no,’ (oʊ) but the automated tube announcer tube announcer now pronounces the l and says the 'o 'like in dog (ɔ). Same with Marylebone - the recording says it like the three words it’s made of, not the ‘Mahli-bn’ I’m used to. And ‘Bank’ on the DLR becomes ‘the Bank’ as if you were about pop in to deposit a cheque. Worst, though, was Stanford Le Hope in Essex, pronounced by the recording as though it were a small village in the Loire. No, it’s pronounced exactly as it’s written, which is unusual but something that a person being paid to pronounce place names should check. Anyway, America can be just as colourful with its names. Arkansas, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Elvis\_Chimney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/50afbb/32.png) [@Elvis\_Chimney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvis_Chimney)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/25 "2011-02-15T13:36:47Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Not that I noticed (I lived there for seven years). It’s more like Edinbruh, though there’s at least four or five different accents in Edinburgh alone, so it depends who you are talking to I suppose. In my experience, very few people in Edinburgh are actually from Edinburgh (I’ve lived here 14 years and can count on one hand the number of friends and workmates I have that are actual Edinburghers), so that may explain the variety of accents. Scottish placenames in particular can be very counter-intuitive. See Milngavie, Strathaven, Dunfermline and Bruichladdich as examples. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/26 "2011-02-15T14:48:36Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Well, for example - an American would (I believe) say : La-boh-ra-tore-ee, while a British person would say La-boh-ru-tree (for Laboratory). It’s that “tore-ee” that I hear on US shows. Not just that word, obviously, but the tendency to cut out entire syllables seems to me to be far less common in the US. > > British pronunciation will often dispense with entire syllables which are pronounced in American pronunciation. The “ory” thing is the most noticable one to me. Similar would be the American Solitary and Secretary (four syllables) to the British “Sol-ih-tree and Sec-re-tree” ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/27 "2011-02-15T15:07:22Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Well, for example - an American would (I believe) say : La-boh-ra-tore-ee, while a British person would say La-boh-ru-tree (for Laboratory). It’s that “tore-ee” that I hear on US shows. Not just that word, obviously, but the tendency to cut out entire syllables seems to me to be far less common in the US. > > British pronunciation will often dispense with entire syllables which are pronounced in American pronunciation. The “ory” thing is the most noticable one to me. Sort of. The Brits have this tendency to emphasize the “bor” in comparison to Americans, who say LAB-ra-tore-ee, not la-BOH-ru-tree. We do really pronounce two syllables for anything ending in -tary or -tory. If you want it pronounced -tree, you oughta spell it like that! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/28 "2011-02-15T18:47:40Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > This Brit certainly does. Coincidentally, I was wondering about the abbreviation “Brit”–your use suggests that British folks find nothing offensive or objectionable about it? I’ve never heard any objection, but wondered if you Brits are just too polite to say anything…😉 People can be sensitive about such things, as I found out when I once referred to San Franciso as “Frisco.” ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/29 "2011-02-15T19:06:26Z")
I have a mild dislike of it from Americans, though use it about myself pretty often. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/30 "2011-02-15T19:08:58Z")
> [@LynnM](#): > > Coincidentally, I was wondering about the abbreviation “Brit”–your use suggests that British folks find nothing offensive or objectionable about it? > > I’ve never heard any objection, but wondered if you Brits are just too polite to say anything…😉 > > People can be sensitive about such things, as I found out when I once referred to San Franciso as “Frisco.” No, nothing actually offensive about “Brit” to my Brit ears. I can imagine using it myself. At least it doesn’t mix up a Scot and an Englishman! I guess it depends how it is used. Given the right tone of voice it could be offensive if used by a foreigner. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/31 "2011-02-15T19:09:27Z")
> [@LynnM](#): > > I’ve never heard any objection, but wondered if you Brits are just too polite to say anything…😉 In general, I don’t think most people are bothered at all - it’s just shorthand. However, there may be other implications when using the term in Northern Ireland, and some Scots Nationalists won’t be happy being referred to as a Brit either. How do Americans (in general, not just from the historically appropriate parts) feel about being referred to as Yanks? ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/32 "2011-02-15T19:18:43Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Or “War-sess-ter” (Worcestor), which is “Wuhster”. Not to mention the famous sauce, which many Americans pronounce “War-sess-ter-shy-er,” the more clued-in pronounce “Wuhstersher,” but which a British coworker insisted was “Wursher.” ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/33 "2011-02-15T19:21:59Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Anyway, America can be just as colourful with its names. Arkansas, anyone? To be fair, that’s a Frenchification of a Native American word, so it’s not like that’s standard for American. Look at Kansas. > [@MarcusF](#): > > I guess it depends how it is used. Given the right tone of voice it could be offensive if used by a foreigner. But that’s true of just about anything. I don’t think there’s any descriptor that can’t be made derisive by tone of voice. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/34 "2011-02-15T19:24:56Z")
I could have sworn that Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk was pronounced “BUR-ee”, but I am probably mistaken on that point. My giveaway that I was not from the UK (this being long after my accent had changed enough for people to ask what part of Wales I was from) was when I pronounced Southwark as “south-wark” in a lecture. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/35 "2011-02-15T20:10:33Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > I could have sworn that Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk was pronounced “BUR-ee”, but I am probably mistaken on that point. Suffolk boy here - definitely ‘Berry’. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/36 "2011-02-15T20:17:16Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > How do Americans (in general, not just from the historically appropriate parts) feel about being referred to as Yanks? They’ll just think you’re a foreigner, specifically from the British Isles, the Antipodes, or South Africa. Even if an American does use the term for whatever reason, it will be “Yankee,” not “Yank.” ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/37 "2011-02-15T20:17:29Z")
Well there’s our exception to “bury” as “bree”, then…it is two syllables after all. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/38 "2011-02-15T20:30:48Z")
I few miles from here is the town of Southwell. Nobody, including the locals or the BBC can decide on the correct pronunciation. Sometimes it’s “south-well”, sometimes it’s “Suth-ell”. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/39 "2011-02-15T20:36:52Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > They’ll just think you’re a foreigner, specifically from the British Isles, the Antipodes, or South Africa. Even if an American does use the term for whatever reason, it will be “Yankee,” not “Yank.” So no great offense, then? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366/40 "2011-02-15T20:39:21Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > My giveaway that I was not from the UK (this being long after my accent had changed enough for people to ask what part of Wales I was from) was when I pronounced Southwark as “south-wark” in a lecture. To be fair, a lot of British people wouldn’t be all that sure how to pronounce Southwark either [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-british-names-with-bury-pronounced-bree/571366.md?page=3)