# Pronunciation of "St. John"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 11, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265 "2006-04-11T20:10:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fromage_A_Trois)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265/41 "2006-04-13T15:56:08Z")

</div>

> [@Pushkin](#):
>
> Or in the UK, Harry Enfield’s Mr Cholmondeley Warner, warning women to know their place.

😃  
Next Week: Exercising Your Conjugal Rights

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [April 14, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265/42 "2006-04-14T13:49:33Z")

</div>

Here’s another:

Mainwaring = Mannering

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265/43 "2006-04-14T15:28:53Z")

</div>

> [@Bookkeeper](#):
>
> For what it’s worth, I’ve always understood the capital of Newfoundland, St. John’s, to be pronounced “sinjahns” (although I haven’t lived there since I was 5, so YMMV).

My newfie co-workers say “Saint Johns.” “Sinjahns” could be a reasonable approximation, though, if you were to hear it spoken by someone with a really heavy Newfie accent.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265/44 "2006-04-14T15:53:36Z")

</div>

I would like to point out that St. John, New Brunswick, aka [The Fundy City](http://www.tourismsaintjohn.com/files/fuse.cfm?section=1), will generally be pronounced in the French manner.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265/45 "2006-04-15T17:57:15Z")

</div>

> [@acsenray](#):
>
> > [@Lissa](#):
> >
> > A local told me that Sault Ste. Marie is pronounced “Soo Set Marie.” I’m still shaking my head over that one.
> 
> I assume the pronunciation is Anglicised from the French, which would be something like “Sew San Marie.”

I don’t think so, for two reasons. First, the “t” in the feminine of “sainte” is pronunced in French. Second, even if the “t” is elided, the combination of a final, nasal “n” followed immediately by an “m” is hard for anglos.

It’s the “n” sound that is sometimes dropped, when “sainte” and “marie” are run together, leaving the “t” in, to break up the slurred “saint”: “Soo set-marie”. (Which is not how everyone says it. I’ve also heard it pronounced with “saint” but I don’t think that’s as common - more “CBC announcer-like.”)

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-st-john/352265.md?page=2)