Towns that are not pronounced as they’re written

[LilianaUwU]

Sayabec, QC is actually pronounced say-beck, with a mute second "a".

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Lino Lakes, MN (LIE-no, as opposed to LEE-no)
Sartell (sar-TELL, not sartil)
Montevideo (mont-uh-video, not like the Uruguayan city)

[kphoger]

Lino Lakes, MN (LIE-no, as opposed to LEE-no)

Exactly how I assumed it would be pronounced.

Sartell (sar-TELL, not sartil)

Exactly how I assumed it would be pronounced.

Montevideo (mont-uh-video, not like the Uruguayan city)

Well, actually, I've heard this one said before, so no assumption necessary.



Here's one that I bet would throw you guys off:  Neodesha, KS, pronounced nee-OH-duh-shay.

This is similar to Chickasha, OK, pronounced CHICK-uh-shay.  In contrast, the tribe after which the town was named is Chickasaw, pronounced CHICK-uh-saw (a more expected pronunciation).  The reason for the difference in spelling is that the former is actually the Choctaw name for the latter.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Bala Cynwyd, Pa = Bala kin-wid

That's very close to how it's spelled.  Both halves are named after Welsh locales, and that pronunciation matches Welsh decently well.

True, but I think most Americans would initially pronounce it as Bala Sin-wyd.

[kernals12]

Sayabec, QC is actually pronounced say-beck, with a mute second "a".

What a waste of a perfectly good vowel. Don't they know there are children in Poland who can't pronounce their own names?

[on_wisconsin]

More Wisco.....

Mondovi: (mon-doh-vee)

Eau Claire: (oh-claire)(like the Irish sirname O'Claire)

Waunakee: (wan-uh-key)(like 'want a key' with out the 't' in want)

Menomonie: (men-nom-nee) or (mon-nom-nee)(the last 'o' is mostly silent)

Prescott: (press-cot)

Alma: (el-ma)

[CtrlAltDel]

More Wisco.....

Mondovi: (mon-doh-vee)

Eau Claire: (oh-claire)(like the Irish sirname O'Claire)

Waunakee: (wan-uh-key)(like 'want a key' with out the 't' in want)

Menomonie: (men-nom-nee) or (mon-nom-nee)(the last 'o' is mostly silent)

Prescott: (press-cot)

Alma: (el-ma)

Except for Eau Claire, these all seem pretty straightforward.

[Rothman]

More Wisco.....

Mondovi: (mon-doh-vee)

Eau Claire: (oh-claire)(like the Irish sirname O'Claire)

Waunakee: (wan-uh-key)(like 'want a key' with out the 't' in want)

Menomonie: (men-nom-nee) or (mon-nom-nee)(the last 'o' is mostly silent)

Prescott: (press-cot)

Alma: (el-ma)

Except for Eau Claire, these all seem pretty straightforward.

Yeah.  Prescott, AZ strikes me as more odd:  PRESS-kit.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Our local media has a funny take on this topic......the Golden State Warriors, in town to play the Celtics, released a video in which their players tried to pronounce the names of Massachusetts municipalities - and were  mostly. hilariously unsuccessful.

https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/skitoots-watch-warriors-players-struggle-pronounce-massachusetts-town-names/2ST3RSGK7FCJRBWHYJNVFY52OU/

[kphoger]

Celtics

Let's talk about spelling and pronunciation...

[MATraveler128]

Thought this video about Massachusetts town pronunciations would fit perfectly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AckzNzbF5E4

[bwana39]

Buena Vista, VA is probably the most obvious example in Virginia - it's pronounced "byoona vista".

Buena Vista CO is pronounced BOONA Vista

[iowahighways]

Buena Vista, VA is probably the most obvious example in Virginia - it's pronounced "byoona vista".

Buena Vista County and University in Iowa is pronounced the same way.

Tripoli isn't pronounced like the city in Libya -- it's pronounced trip-OLE-uh.

Madrid is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable (MAD-rid). Waukee has its accent on the second syllable (wau-KEE) despite being named for the Milwaukee Railroad.

[bwana39]

Buena Vista, VA is probably the most obvious example in Virginia - it's pronounced "byoona vista".

Buena Vista County and University in Iowa is pronounced the same way.

Tripoli isn't pronounced like the city in Libya -- it's pronounced trip-OLE-uh.

Madrid is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable (MAD-rid). Waukee has its accent on the second syllable (wau-KEE) despite being named for the Milwaukee Railroad.

Ok on the Waukee; Isn't how you say Milwaukee?  Mil wau Kee?

[Rothman]

Buena Vista, VA is probably the most obvious example in Virginia - it's pronounced "byoona vista".

Buena Vista County and University in Iowa is pronounced the same way.

Tripoli isn't pronounced like the city in Libya -- it's pronounced trip-OLE-uh.

Madrid is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable (MAD-rid). Waukee has its accent on the second syllable (wau-KEE) despite being named for the Milwaukee Railroad.

Ok on the Waukee Isn't haw you say Milwaukee?  Mil wau Kee?

It's Algonquin for "the good land."

[bm7]

Buena Vista, VA is probably the most obvious example in Virginia - it's pronounced "byoona vista".

Buena Vista County and University in Iowa is pronounced the same way.

Tripoli isn't pronounced like the city in Libya -- it's pronounced trip-OLE-uh.

Madrid is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable (MAD-rid). Waukee has its accent on the second syllable (wau-KEE) despite being named for the Milwaukee Railroad.

Ok on the Waukee; Isn't how you say Milwaukee?  Mil wau Kee?

The "kee" in Waukee is emphasized and a bit longer than in Milwaukee.

[frankenroad]

How is the US 68 control city here pronounced?
https://goo.gl/maps/eU4msgk6dxBqSvvd6

ur-BANN-a

Oh, the other one?  ZEE-nya

A side note, Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, and it was settlers from there who settled the sister cities in Illinois.

[index]

Rutherfordton, NC is a good one. You would think it's pronounced just that, Ruther-ford-ton. But no, the locals pronounce it as Ruffin. Or Ruffton, or something else, I've heard many variations of that but it's not Rutherfordton.

[rlb2024]

New Orleans, LA - the locals pronounce "Orleans" with the e silent. I have verified this myself with a coworker who traveled there couple weeks ago.

It is either New Or-lunz or (for the truly locals) Nawlins.  It is never EVER New OrLEENZ if you live here.  (Although city is in OrLEENZ Parish -- go figure.)

[SP Cook]

West Virginia:

As noted up thread Teays Valley the e is silent, not the a.  Taze or Tays Valley, not Tees Valley.  And, despite the actual town of Teays having been removed for I-64 more than 60 years ago, there still is a Teays Post Office (25569) which is a just a bank of PO Boxes in a strip mall, with window service a couple of hours per day, for the businesses in the mall.  It has no geographic territory. 

Also the largest town in Teays Valley is Hurricane.  Which is not pronounced like the storm or the University of Miami mascot.  The last syllable rhymes with "done" or "gun" not with "cane".  Hur-uh-cun.

Phillipi is not pronounced like the town in the Bible where the last syllable rhymes with "pie" "Phil-i-pie" but rather it rhymes with "pee", "Phil-uh-pee". 

If anybody pronounces all the syllables in Huntington, like the beach in California or the bank based out of Columbus or the robber baron himself, they are probably not local.  It is not Hunt(full stop)ing(full stop)ton nor Hun(full stop)ting(full stop) ton, but most locals would say something like Huning-ton.  More like two syllables than three.

Across the river in Ohio is Rio Grande, and the University of Rio Grande, where the first word rhymes with the grain with an added "O".  RHY-O Grand.

[OracleUsr]

I was up in Michigan about 10 years ago looking for the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse, and I swear someone pronounced it as SISH-wa. 

And, Calais, ME, didn't retain its French pronunciation as I would have expected.  I heard it pronounced Cal-lis.

[epzik8]

Bowie (booey), Maryland

[kphoger]

Bowie (booey), Maryland

That's how I would assume it's pronounced.  Just like Jim Bowie.

[JayhawkCO]

Buena Vista, VA is probably the most obvious example in Virginia - it's pronounced "byoona vista".

Buena Vista CO is pronounced BOONA Vista

Just saw this. No it's not. It's pronounced BYOO-nuh Vista.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

That pronounciation for Buena Vista completely throws me off, since it's not what I, a native Spanish speaker, would say.