Pronunciations

[cheshire~rose]

But then if you go to Shrewsbury even the locals are divided about how to say the place name shroosbury or shrowsbury?

[Athy]

The River Nene suffers from a pronunciational split personality; round here it's "neen" but further West it's the "nenn".

Not on the canal, though not too far from it in Leics., Groby is locally pronounced "Grooby".

[Pluto]

Zouch, on the Soar is Zotch.

 

And while we're at it, Winding Holes as in the north wind, not a handle.

 

Tony

In the north they're wanning holes.

[weeble]

Alrewas is one I still avoid

[Laurie Booth]

Yosemite National Park.

[ChrisPy]

from a recent job in India I picked up Baroda (actually Vadodora) and Amdavad (actually Ahmedabad).

some locals call Exeter 'Execeturr'.

Bristol was originally Bristow, but the locals inserted an L at the end. Actually pronounced Bristle.

[Josher]

I still remember the funny looks when buying tickets for a part journey here.

[Athy]

Alrewas is one I still avoid

...and its neighbour Oppus (Hopwas).

[wrigglefingers]

Yeovill Yovill? Yevill?

 

Leominster Lomster? Lemster?

 

Newquay

 

Yovill! Would have thought that would be easy for a Netherlander.

 

's-Hertogenbosch ended all my dinner party cred when I last went to Arnhem for tea. The rule is always no English as my Dutch is in desperate need of practice. I can't quite explain the sense of deep shame as a eight old year (in Dutch and then English) politely told me "we call it Den Bosch, much easier for the English".

 

Edited 'cos I can't spell in my own language let alone another ..

Edited July 26, 2010 by wrigglefingers

[Machpoint005]

I know someone who searched his Splatnav in vain for a place in Norfolk he thought was called Haysborough.

(Happisburgh).

 

Wimdom is another (Wymondham).

[MartinClark]

Bristol was originally Bristow, but the locals inserted an L at the end.

Bristol was originally Brycgstow and then Brigstowe.

[ChrisPy]

Bristol was originally Brycgstow and then Brigstowe.

obviously you've been around even longer than me

[MartinClark]

obviously you've been around even longer than me

 

Probably true!

I lived in Bristol between 1960 and 1969. The Floating Harbour was mostly lifeless and empty at that time and you never saw a boat of any kind move.

[daves6guitars]

You have got the hang of Brewood (Brood) .................

 

Cholmondeston is Chomston .................

 

Cholmondeley is Chumley................

 

Welcome to the north .............. are you going to Barnoldswick? ..................

 

 

We moor at Cholemondeston. The lady in the office pronounces it Charmston, and a local I asked for directions pronounced it Kollymondeston with an emphasis on the 'est'. In Tom Rolt's book ' Narrowboat' he came across a local when he was passing through who pronounced it Kollermondeston....so take your pick

[imnogeek]

Zouch, on the Soar is Zotch.

 

Tony

 

and yet 10 miles south Ashby de la Zouch is Zoosh,

 

The village of Heather (as in the plant) near by is Heether

[Ray T]

Bedworth = Beduth to the locals.

 

Home of Charity Dock

 

Edited July 26, 2010 by Ray T

[Athy]

The village of Heather (as in the plant) near by is Heether

It is indeed. My family used to live in Heather Lane, Packington, between Ashby and Heather. My Mum used to go to evening classes with a Scottish lady who lived a couple of doors along, and who on principle pronounced "Heather" as in the Scottish plant. So when they registered at the college, one pronounced her address as "Heether Lane" and the other as "Hether Lane" which caused a bit of confusion.

[mayalld]

Probably true!

I lived in Bristol between 1960 and 1969. The Floating Harbour was mostly lifeless and empty at that time and you never saw a boat of any kind move.

 

Ah, I was there from 1987 to 1991. Regeneration of the stub of the Frome was just beginning.

 

Last time I went back, the green pillar box outside the SWEB building that went down to the undergroung Frome had gone. Sacriledge I call it.

[mykaskin]

To spoil all the fun, someone has put them all in one place:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_names..._pronunciations

 

(Boo, hiss)

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

Edited July 26, 2010 by mykaskin

[imnogeek]

To spoil all the fun, someone has put them all in one place:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_names..._pronunciations

 

(Boo, hiss)

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

 

How sad is that

[soldthehouse]

To spoil all the fun, someone has put them all in one place:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_names..._pronunciations

 

(Boo, hiss)

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

Here endeth the first lesson

[magpie patrick]

To spoil all the fun, someone has put them all in one place:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_names..._pronunciations

 

(Boo, hiss)

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

 

I find it slightly worrying that I knew how to pronounce a number of them and it had never occured to me they were odd

 

Altrincham for example...

[Athy]

...and one whose pronunciation we all take for granted, but which always bamboozles our transatlantic cousins: Leicester.

[Nickhlx]

In deepest Surrey, the local radio station ( Eagle / County Sound) at Guildford about 5 miles away, has some presenters calling

Godalming by the "correct" name - "Godallming", whereas others call it "G'dal-ming", which does sound odd

 

Nick

Edited July 26, 2010 by Nickhlx

[Jim]

...and one whose pronunciation we all take for granted, but which always bamboozles our transatlantic cousins: Leicester.

 

Not to mention its near neighbour "Looger-Barooger"

 

To spoil all the fun, someone has put them all in one place:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_names..._pronunciations

 

(Boo, hiss)

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

 

Not quite all. Doesn't include Evesham: "Eve - er -sham" to the locals.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Jim