# "How do I get to Poo-yallup?" - "You're new here, ain'tcha?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424 "2006-03-07T20:43:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/1 "2006-03-07T20:43:16Z")
AKA, the common mispronunciations of place names and other local features that identify somebody as a visitor or recent transplant. The word in the thread title is the classic for Pacific Northwesterners. “Puyallup” is correctly pronounced “pyoo-AL-up.” People who have never tried to say it before mangle the word in all sorts of amusing ways. Also entertaining are attempts at “Poulsbo,” “Okanogan,” “Chelan,” and “Sequim.” And don’t get me started on “Pend Oreille.” Plus there are cities sharing a name with a more famous counterpart but whose local pronunciation is different; here in Washington, you say the final S in “Des Moines.” I’m posting because I heard a new one on the radio yesterday, during a pledge drive: The town name of “Mukilteo” came out as “muck-ul-TAY-o” instead of “muck-ul-TEE-o.” Er, yeah, so, when’d you get off the bus? So… how do you know when someone ain’t from around your parts? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/2 "2006-03-07T20:50:03Z")
Anyone unfamiliar with Spanish stand out around here. They want to know how to get to Supple-veeda Blvd. or Pick-o Blvd. Oh, and it’s pronounced You- **ki** -pa. Not what you said. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/3 "2006-03-07T20:53:32Z")
They ask where the BerLIN Turnpike is. It’s the BERlin Turnpike. They ask how to get to New Britain, instead of New Britten. This is Connecticut, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/4 "2006-03-07T20:54:50Z")
Philly’s great for effin’ with the outlanders: We’ve got Bala Cynwyd and the Schuylkill River, just for starters. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/5 "2006-03-07T20:56:48Z")
Oh, goody! I got here before **jayjay** did! It’s not lan-CAS-ter, it’s LANG-kis-ter. Likewise, it’s not leb-uh-NAHN, but LEB-nen or LEB-i-nen, as in LEB-i-nen bologna. Central PA here. Robin ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/6 "2006-03-07T21:01:09Z")
> [@KSO](#): > > They ask how to get to New Britain, instead of New Britten. And how, exactly, would these be pronounced differently? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/7 "2006-03-07T21:04:54Z")
[Philomath, Oregon](http://www.ci.philomath.or.us/) It’s not FIE-low-math, you cretin. It’s pronounced full-O-muhth. Now go back to California. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/8 "2006-03-07T21:07:58Z")
I say Britain and Britten the same way. Around here it’s in O-LATH-ee (should be O-lay-thuh). ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/9 "2006-03-07T21:10:34Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#): > > And how, exactly, would these be pronounced differently? I didn’t describe it well, and I’m not sure I can. The Connecticut pronounciation sounds like Brit-in, not Brit-ten. ---
**Author:** ![Doom\_Slinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Doom\_Slinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doom_Slinger)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/10 "2006-03-07T21:11:52Z")
Here in NYC, pronouncing the name of Houston Street the same way you pronounce the city in Texas definitely marks you as new to the area (it’s HOUSE-ton here). In my experience, anyone who pronounces New Orleans as “New Or-Lee-Uns” or “New or-LEENS” can be assumed, with close to 100% accuracy, to be from somewhere other than south Louisiana. Locals tend to say the name like “New Orlins,” “Norlins,” or “Nawlins.” Also, Lafayette is “LAF-fee-et”, not “LAH-fee-et.” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/11 "2006-03-07T21:14:37Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > It’s not lan-CAS-ter, it’s LANG-kis-ter. We’ve got one of those, too. LANK-a-stir. I can’t tell if ours is pronounced like yours or not. Central Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/12 "2006-03-07T21:19:18Z")
A lot of Long Island towns are named for Native American tribes, and they must be tough for visitors. Troublesome names would include Wantagh (WAHN-taw or WAHN-tah, depending on whether or not you have the local accent), Copiague (COE-payg) and Hauppauge (HOP-og). Montauk (MON-talk or -tawk) is one of many place names that are phonetic, but probably look intimidating. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/13 "2006-03-07T21:21:37Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Philly’s great for effin’ with the outlanders: We’ve got Bala Cynwyd and the Schuylkill River, just for starters. Ooohhh! I know these! It’s Bal-uh Kinwood and School-kill! Robin ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/14 "2006-03-07T21:32:41Z")
**Cervaise** don’t forget Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie, Sammamish, Kalamath, Skagit, and the favorite of home brewers Willamette. My favorite of the area though is Nooksack. Nooksack. It’s fun to say. Nooksack. Nooksack. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/15 "2006-03-07T21:34:07Z")
Not from Wisconsin: New Berlin: It’s not pronounced like the city in Germany, but like New BUR-lin - accent on the first syllable. Stoughton: Pronounced with a long “o” sound in the first syllable. A tornado hit there last year and I was cringing, hearing a local reporter mangling the name with a short “o” sound instead. Not from Illinois: Cairo: Pronounced - though I cringe to say it - CAY-ro. DesPlaines, DuPage, Armitage: To sound like you’re from here - not so hard in this instance, admittedly - don’t say them with the proper French pronunciation, Americanize them. (IIRC, a Chicago-set film within the last few years had a character using the Francophone pronunciation of Armitage, instead of “AR-mi-tidge” - very grating for a local to hear.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/16 "2006-03-07T21:37:17Z")
Here in Massachusetts it’s P’b’dee, not Pea-Body, like from Rocky and Bullwinkle. And “Medford” is “Med-fah”. In upstate New York, it’s “Chie - Lie” (Rhymes with “Sky High” or “Pie in the Sky”), not Chili, like the bean. Equal accent on both syllables. And “Nunda” is “Nun - day”. In New Jersey, the capital is “Tren’n” The “t” and the “o” disappear in the nasalization. We don’t care how Delaware or anyone else pronounce the same spelling. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/17 "2006-03-07T21:39:26Z")
Cuyahoga County (and River): Natives pronounce it Ky-a-HOG-a, visitors pronounce it Ky-a-HAWG-a, except for some natives who pronounce it Ky-a-HAWG-a, and some visitors who pronounce it Ky-a-HOG-a. And then there’s Ashtabula. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/18 "2006-03-07T21:44:08Z")
Anyone who refers to D.C. as “Washington.” –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/19 "2006-03-07T21:50:23Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > “Puyallup” is correctly pronounced “pyoo-AL-up.” Huh. The hint book for SimCity 2000 was written by a couple of Pacific Northwesterners who used Puyallup in their examples. They said it’s pronounced “PILE-up”. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424/20 "2006-03-07T21:55:28Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Anyone unfamiliar with Spanish stand out around here. They want to know how to get to Supple-veeda Blvd. or Pick-o Blvd. Heh! Pico and Sepulveda! o/`Pico and Sepulveda! Pico and Sepulveda! Pico and Sepulveda! Pico and Sepulveda! Doheny…Cahuenga…La Brea…Tarpits! TARPITS! La Jolla…Sequoia…La Brea…Tarpits! TARPITS! You can keep Alvarado, Santa Monica, even Beverly Drive. Vine may be fine but for mine I want to feel alive! And settle down in my La Brea Tarpits… TARPITS! …where nobody’s dreams come true… o/` Sorry…I was possessed by the spirit of Felix Figueroa… Oh, and 😛 to **MsRobyn** for getting the jump on me with the LANG-k’ster thing… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-to-poo-yallup-youre-new-here-aintcha/347424.md?page=2)