# How many US cities share a common (but mispronounced) name with a world city? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796 "2003-06-05T11:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/1 "2003-06-05T11:58:34Z")
For some reason this comes up occasionally between me and Mr. Butrscotch. Right off the top of my head (and on my first cup of coffee this morning), I can think of: Lima, Ohio (LIE-ma) Bellfontaine, Ohio (Bell-FOUN-tain) Berlin, New Hampshire (BER-lin) I know there’s lots more. Help me out here. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/2 "2003-06-05T12:00:27Z")
Make that Bellefontaine. Can’t even spell this morning, let along think. :smack: need…more…coffee… ---
**Author:** ![Kyann22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a4c791/32.png) [@Kyann22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyann22)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/3 "2003-06-05T12:05:02Z")
In Kentucky, we have Versailles, which is pronounced exactly as it’s spelled. 🙂 (VER-sail-es) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/4 "2003-06-05T12:25:46Z")
Vienna, NJ (pronounced Vy-enna) Cairo, IL (pronounced Kay-row) ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/5 "2003-06-05T12:26:35Z")
I seem to have heard of a place called New Orleans. [size]I could mention New York too – they certainly don’t pronounce that like they do in old York.[/size] ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/6 "2003-06-05T12:44:12Z")
Bogota, New Jersey has nothing to do with BO-ga-da, Columbia. It’s pronouced ba-GO-da. Like “pagoda” but with a “B.” ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/7 "2003-06-05T12:46:32Z")
Vienna, Illinois, pronounced “Vye-enna” ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/8 "2003-06-05T12:49:55Z")
Canton Ohio, named after Canton China. Now romanized in pinyin as Guangzhou. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/9 "2003-06-05T12:52:15Z")
Calais (Callas), Maine ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/10 "2003-06-05T13:28:53Z")
Technically, Paris, Texas, because the pronunciation of the French city it is named for is “Par-ee.” ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/11 "2003-06-05T13:36:45Z")
There’s a **Moscow** in Idaho. Most people pronounce it “moss-co” instead of “moss cow.” ---
**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:** [June 5, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/12 "2003-06-05T13:39:45Z")
New Berlin (BURR-lin), Wisconsin ---
**Author:** ![MSU\_1978](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@MSU\_1978](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MSU_1978)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/13 "2003-06-05T13:40:56Z")
We have a Pompeii in Michigan, but the locals pronounce it “Pompy-eye”. Also, I believe Cairo, IL is pronounced “Care-oh” ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/14 "2003-06-05T13:42:22Z")
OMG. I’ve seen lots of these places on the map, but i never realized how bastardized the pronunciation was in many cases. ---
**Author:** ![MSU\_1978](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@MSU\_1978](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MSU_1978)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/15 "2003-06-05T13:44:04Z")
Sorry, Reality- forgot you mentioned Cairo.l ---
**Author:** ![H8\_2\_W8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c77e96/32.png) [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/16 "2003-06-05T13:45:45Z")
Brazil, Indiana - though not named for a city but a country - pronounced by many locals as “Brayzil” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/17 "2003-06-05T13:55:56Z")
There’s an itty-bitty community close to my original home called “Monticello.” The “c” is pronounced as an “s” instead of the more familiar “ch.” There’s also a “Beaufort” in my state that’s pronounced “BYOO-fert” instead of the more familiar “BO-fert.” Although, I’m not familiar with another town of this name, there is a town in eastern NC named “New Bern,” pronounced “NOO-bern,” instead of what you’d assume “noo BERN.” ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/18 "2003-06-05T14:05:26Z")
Madrid, Iowa – pronounced Mad-rid, with the “a” as in “bad”. New Madrid, Missouri – pronounced as above. ---
**Author:** ![Bishamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3e96dc/32.png) [@Bishamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bishamon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/19 "2003-06-05T14:08:19Z")
Also in the same neck of the woods as “Vy-enna” Illinois is Beaucoup Creek, pronounced Buck-up. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796/20 "2003-06-05T14:10:31Z")
Connecticut also has a Berlin, also pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable. I wonder why the standard American pronunciation is different? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-us-cities-share-a-common-but-mispronounced-name-with-a-world-city/179796.md?page=2)