Place names you always mispronounce (like Mackinac and Greenwich)

[mgk920]

Well, then get Waupaca, Weyauwega, Mukwanago, Oconomowoc, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Menasha here in Wisconsin right!

Mike

The trick one is Shawano. Not pronounced exactly as spelled.

'Shawano' is the easiest way of all for the locals here to tell the natives from the tourists ( AKA, 'FIBs' ).

Mike

[kphoger]

nevada means snowy in Spanish, and Nevada means the driest U.S. state, so why should they be pronounced the same?

Does the Sierra Nevada not get snow?

It does. It also covers a very tiny fraction of the state. Certainly far less than the Great Basin or the Mojave Desert (the latter of which wasn't within Nevada's original boundaries).

If they had meant to be accurate with the state name, they would have named us Cuenca.

But I take it you are aware that the Territory of Nevada took its name from the mountain range.  Hence, if the Sierra's snowiness allows for its pronunciation to be more Spanishy, then likewise the territory named after it, and likewise the state named after it.

[Max Rockatansky]

Probably worth pointing out that much of the lands which now comprise Clark County weren't part of the state of Nevada when it was formed.  When formed the state (much like Nevada Territory) really was centric around the Comstock Lode corridor and Lake Tahoe to until Las Vegas Valley began to emerge in fairly modern times.  Getting Colorado River access certainly changes things present-tense.

[Rothman]

For me, one such place is Oneonta NY.  Never was sure of the correct pronunciation.

I've head both Ohn-ee-on-tuh and On-ee-on-tuh.

[kphoger]

I've head both Ohn-ee-on-tuh and On-ee-on-tuh.

In that case, then, I'm going with wun-on-TAH!

[Henry]

We also have Vallejo, CA, the only town whose name is half-Spanish, as it's pronounced with the J in that language but the double-L in English. This is sure to spark a war on whether the town should be pronounced "va-lay-ho" (the partially bastardized version) or "va-yay-ho" (the "right" way to say it according to the Spanish-speakers).

[kphoger]

We also have Vallejo, CA, the only town whose name is half-Spanish, as it's pronounced with the J in that language but the double-L in English. This is sure to spark a war on whether the town should be pronounced "va-lay-ho" (the partially bastardized version) or "va-yay-ho" (the "right" way to say it according to the Spanish-speakers).

If it's at the beginning of a sentence, the V makes a B sound, too...

[CtrlAltDel]

We also have Vallejo, CA, the only town whose name is half-Spanish, as it's pronounced with the J in that language but the double-L in English. This is sure to spark a war on whether the town should be pronounced "va-lay-ho" (the partially bastardized version) or "va-yay-ho" (the "right" way to say it according to the Spanish-speakers).

If it's at the beginning of a sentence, the V makes a B sound, too...

So, clearly the way to go is full English with "valley-joe." 

[kphoger]

So, clearly the way to go is full English with "valley-joe."

And with barely restrained excitement in your tone, accenting the final syllable, evocative of the huntsman's cry of Tally-ho!