# Place name pronunciations **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159 "2007-12-07T15:22:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/21 "2007-12-07T17:10:58Z")
Oh, yeh, Natchidoches, LA is Nakudush, but is NACH-i-doch-us in TX. Mostly, I don’t even try to pronounce the LA stuff – they’re all impossible! I forgot about Lima – that one is always fun. It does give me a giggle to have people in Naw-fuck call, though. Only time I get to say fuck to a customer without a write-up… ---
**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:** [December 7, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/22 "2007-12-07T17:21:35Z")
Oyutsiders tend to pronounce Moonachie NJ as mun-AUCH-ee. It’s MOON-auk-ee. And Hasbrouck Heights is “Hasbro.” ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/23 "2007-12-07T17:53:14Z")
Kearny, NJ is pronounced ‘Car-nee’, but as I found out a few years ago after directing my husband to Kearny Street in San Francisco, it’s pronounced ‘Kerr -nee’ out here. (The namesakes of both are related - nephew/uncle, I think.) ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/24 "2007-12-07T17:58:25Z")
The last syllable in Moscow, Russia is pronounced as “cow”, like the farm animals. Moscow, Idaho, however, is pronouced “moss-co”, like a company that produces moss, or something. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/25 "2007-12-07T18:09:02Z")
Recent similar [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444686). Some I mentioned there: There is also a MYE-lin (Milan) New Hampshire (just north of Berlin). JAY-pan (Japan), MO. Also in Missouri: Creeve core (Creve Coeur). Bellfountain (Bellefontaine). ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/26 "2007-12-07T19:13:26Z")
We pass Bolivar, NY on the way to my in-laws. I’m informed that the locals call it “BALL-ver”. And I grew up just down the street from Swarthmore (home of Swarthmore College), which has long since lost the “r” from its pronounciation. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/27 "2007-12-07T19:39:55Z")
[QUOTE=Paintcharge] Newark, Delaware–pronounced “new-arc.” [/QUOTE] And the original town of that name is new-uck. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/28 "2007-12-07T19:44:55Z")
I don’t know what the natives call it, but when I hear them mention Delhi, NY on the radio it’s DEL-high. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/29 "2007-12-07T19:49:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by Paintcharge > Newark, Delaware–pronounced “new-arc.” > > And the original town of that name is new-uck. Where are you from? In NJ, it’s more like “Noork” ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/30 "2007-12-07T19:53:54Z")
La Place, Illinois, is Lay Plase. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/31 "2007-12-07T19:55:00Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Where are you from? In NJ, it’s more like “Noork” [/QUOTE] In NJ, the difference in pronounciation of “Newark” and “New York” is only a short vowel sound in the second. “Noork” and “noo-york” ---
**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:** [December 7, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/32 "2007-12-07T19:55:10Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Where are you from? In NJ, it’s more like “Noork” [/QUOTE] The original town is in the UK. That’s where I am living right now. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/33 "2007-12-07T20:49:12Z")
Nevada, Mo. is pronounced nuh-VAY-duh. Kansas’ best contribution to funky phonics is Salina (suh-LY-nuh), seat of Saline (suh-LEEN) County. Trips up the new out-of-state TV newsweenies every time. Is Kansas the only place El Dorado is pronounced with a long a? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/34 "2007-12-07T20:58:49Z")
Buena Vista, CO is pronounced Byoo-na Vista by locals. Drives me crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/35 "2007-12-07T21:23:31Z")
In addition to Versailles (Ver-sales), Ky., we also have nearby Garrard County, pronounced Gare-ed. Not far from Cay-row, Ill., is the Kentucky town of Kuttawa, or Kuh-TAO-Wuh. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/36 "2007-12-08T05:35:38Z")
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane] Buena Vista, CO is pronounced Byoo-na Vista by locals. Drives me crazy. [/QUOTE] We Californios have our own local exceptions to proper Spanish pronunciation, all the more jarring because mostly we do try to hold to the correct way of saying it. If you stumble over “Costa Mesa”, you’re not from around here. Still, its residents call it San Peedro, not Sawn Paydro. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/37 "2007-12-08T09:13:56Z")
[QUOTE=dwc1970] The last syllable in Moscow, Russia is pronounced as “cow”, like the farm animals. [/QUOTE] Of course, in ‘Москва’ itself, it’s not pronounced like a “cow” at all, but “Moskva”. _[In the UK and other non-US anglophone countries, the Russian capital is pronounced in the “Idahoan” manner.]_ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/38 "2007-12-08T09:22:00Z")
When I lived in Hawaii, I quickly learned to say HOE-NOE-lulu, not HAH-NA-lulu. Long O on both. People would make fun of me for pronouncing it like a mainlander. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/39 "2007-12-08T11:03:33Z")
**Blackley** in Manchester is, confusingly, pronounced Blake-lee. ---
**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:** [December 8, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159/40 "2007-12-08T13:56:51Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] And of course Worcester is Wooster [/QUOTE] In Massachusetts it’s Wis-ter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-name-pronunciations/429159.md?page=3)