Mis-pronouncing your Destination
Nov 4, 2009 | 4:14 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: YYZ-HKT-CWL
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gordon ramsy
One of the little pleasures of life is hearing the attempts of the English, in particular, to pronounce Welsh place names.
The alphabet is very different, there are no X, Z, J or K; W and Y are vowels; written pairs of letters like CH, RH, LL, DD, FF all go into one square in crosswords or Scrabble and have specific sounds, so it's understandable.
When I was in college in Swansea in South Wales I remember two particular examples of being asked directions.
One lorry driver asked me how to get to 'Ruddy Deaf-Aid'
I needed a bit of time to work out Rhyd Y Defaid - pronounced 'Reed Er Day-Vide' and meaning ford of the sheep.
The other, which I had to see in writing before being able to help, was an enquiry for 'C. A. Ten'. Written I could see that it was Caio, pronounced Kye-Oh.
The alphabet is very different, there are no X, Z, J or K; W and Y are vowels; written pairs of letters like CH, RH, LL, DD, FF all go into one square in crosswords or Scrabble and have specific sounds, so it's understandable.
When I was in college in Swansea in South Wales I remember two particular examples of being asked directions.
One lorry driver asked me how to get to 'Ruddy Deaf-Aid'
I needed a bit of time to work out Rhyd Y Defaid - pronounced 'Reed Er Day-Vide' and meaning ford of the sheep.
The other, which I had to see in writing before being able to help, was an enquiry for 'C. A. Ten'. Written I could see that it was Caio, pronounced Kye-Oh.
Nov 4, 2009 | 7:42 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,657
i often joke that the arkansas river is the only river in the world that changes its name when it crosses a political boundary (from KS to OK).
another fun one: what is the proper pronunciation of "arkansas city" (in southern kansas)?
answer: "ark city." in all my years in wichita, i never heard anyone ever refer to it by its full name.
another fun one: what is the proper pronunciation of "arkansas city" (in southern kansas)?
answer: "ark city." in all my years in wichita, i never heard anyone ever refer to it by its full name.
Nov 4, 2009 | 9:48 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: GNV which is not where we would like to be :)
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There is Russiaville, IN pronounced as Rouxsaville and DE has Hockessin which is pronounced as hoe kessin. Tucson, AZ is to son not tuc son 
Nov 4, 2009 | 2:56 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
pronounced as a native, no one understands baltimore md.
baw-mur mur-ln. only accent is on baw.
what about all them forn cities. no outsider gets them right. i feel very foolish when in washington dc to be talking about par-ee, ve netz iah, fi re en ze..
i also do not claim to have gone to skool in baas tn.
baw-mur mur-ln. only accent is on baw.
what about all them forn cities. no outsider gets them right. i feel very foolish when in washington dc to be talking about par-ee, ve netz iah, fi re en ze..
i also do not claim to have gone to skool in baas tn.
Nov 4, 2009 | 3:02 pm
#23
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Prescott, Arizona. They say "Press-kit to ryhme with Biscuit" as a way of teaching out of towners.
Nov 4, 2009 | 5:29 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 2MM
Posts: 3,637
San Pedro, California
San Pedro is a industrial port suburb of Los Angeles to the south of LAX. Locals always call it "San PEE-dro". Really grates on me because there is no pee in Spanish name for St. Peter.
(Correctly in Spanish pronounced as "San PAY-dro")
(Also, the "San" in any California city name should sound like the "a" in "lawn" and not the "a" in "sand".)
(Correctly in Spanish pronounced as "San PAY-dro")
(Also, the "San" in any California city name should sound like the "a" in "lawn" and not the "a" in "sand".)
Nov 4, 2009 | 6:30 pm
#26
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I always thought it was Loua-vul. And, of course, there's Naw-lins.
Don't forget Tronto, from our friends up north (at least those from the US).
And I thought I had my Hawaiian down, even tossing in the okina, but Hawi threw me when I found it was Ha-vee
Don't forget Tronto, from our friends up north (at least those from the US).
And I thought I had my Hawaiian down, even tossing in the okina, but Hawi threw me when I found it was Ha-vee
Nov 4, 2009 | 9:52 pm
#27
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA 2.996MM & Plat Pro, DL 1MM, GM & Flying Colonel
Posts: 25,037
The town of Amherst, Mass., has a silent "h:" "Amerst." Most Boston-area newscasters, reporting on the eponymous college, the UMass campus, or anything else there get it wrong.
The city of Quincy, Mass., is pronounced "Quinzy." Most people who learned about our sixth president, John Quincy (pronounced "Quin-see") Adams, get it wrong.
The city in Spain is Gre-NAH-da, but the Caribbean island is Gre-NAY-da. Most pseudo-sophisticates get the latter wrong.
The city of Quincy, Mass., is pronounced "Quinzy." Most people who learned about our sixth president, John Quincy (pronounced "Quin-see") Adams, get it wrong.
The city in Spain is Gre-NAH-da, but the Caribbean island is Gre-NAY-da. Most pseudo-sophisticates get the latter wrong.
Nov 5, 2009 | 1:33 am
#28
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,443
The Cornish town of Launceston is pronounced as just two syllables, however: <Lawnston>
Nov 5, 2009 | 1:35 am
#29
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,443
I've tried hard to pronounce New Orleans the way the locals do (or some approximation of it), but I can't get it. So I've given up and now just say it the way I would naturally say the two words. Fortunately, people seem to know what I'm talking about.