# Spelling of an English place name **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102 "2022-12-06T18:21:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nicky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@nicky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicky)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/21 "2022-12-10T10:10:25Z")
Farnborough? ---
**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:** [December 10, 2022, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/22 "2022-12-10T12:55:11Z")
Menzies is pronounced Mingus. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/23 "2022-12-10T13:17:50Z")
More like _mingies_, or shortened to Ming. I remember Menzies Campbell, one-time leader of The Liberal Democrat Party. Just to add confusion, Campbell is pronounced kamble > **[Menzies Campbell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menzies_Campbell)** > > Walter Menzies Campbell, Baron Campbell of Pittenweem, CH, Kt, CBE, PC, KC (/ˈmɪŋɪs/; born 22 May 1941), often known as Ming Campbell, is a British Liberal Democrat politician, advocate and former athlete. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Fife from 1987 to 2015 and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007. > Campbell held the British record for the 100 metre sprint from 1967 to 1974, having run the distance in 10.2 seconds. He captaine... ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/24 "2022-12-10T17:50:33Z")
Well, if we’re crossing the border, try Kirkcudbright, Kirkcaldy and Kingussie. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/25 "2022-12-10T18:12:14Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Just to add confusion, Campbell is pronounced kamble I’ve never heard Campbell pronounced any other way. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/26 "2022-12-11T01:01:49Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > never heard Campbell pronounced any other way I had a high school math teacher who pronounced his name distinctly as “camp bell” with a very clear articulation of the MP and clear separation of the P and B. But he was an oddball in more than one way. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/27 "2022-12-11T04:02:22Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > In a book I read years back (The Cat Who Walked Through Walls), the claim was made that “Taliaferro” was pronounced “Tolliver”. Dunno if that’s true or not, as it’s the only place I’ve ever heard / read that. I understand John Taliaferro Thompson (inventor of the Chicago typewriter) pronounced his middle name “Tolliver”. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/28 "2022-12-11T04:05:35Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Paraphrasing Dave Barry: The Vikings stole all the vowels from the Welsh language; It’s sad to hear Welsh parents singing good-night songs to their children, example – 🎵 Old MacDonald had a farm 🎶, and then they just lapse into silence. ☹ “Vowels for Wales!” was a joke amongst SCA heralds some years back. One response was “Take some from the Irish – they don’t know how to use them right.” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/29 "2022-12-11T16:42:10Z")
I’d buy that for a dollar! 👍 ---
**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:** [December 12, 2022, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/30 "2022-12-12T21:47:01Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > More like _mingies_ To an American there probably isn’t going to be much air between our Mingus and your Mingies. Many of us would pronounce “Mingus” very close if not identical to “Mingiss.” ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/31 "2022-12-12T21:48:30Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Many of us would pronounce “Mingus” very close if not identical to “Mingiss.” As I hear it, more like “Mingiez” ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/32 "2022-12-12T21:58:46Z")
Yeah. This American would read “Mingies” as ending with an -eez sound. Like “thingies.” I don’t think any American would say “thingiss.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/33 "2022-12-12T22:37:56Z")
And I would read it as “min - jeez,” though I am not entirely sure why. Of course, I also read “gif” as “jiff.” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102/34 "2022-12-12T23:01:22Z")
Because choosy **kamells** choose Jif. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-of-an-english-place-name/976102.md?page=1)