America is one of the greatest examples of a melting pot that the world has ever known. With so many people from so many cultures and countries, things get lost in translation. One of those things lost in translation is the proper pronunciation of cities and towns around the country. Here are just a few examples of some towns that often have their name butchered.
Louisville, KY
Sure, you can pronounce Louisville (LOU-ee-vill) as a typical American, or you can give it the proper twang that makes it sound like a southern city (LOU-uh-vole). If you pronounce it the first way, it’s a surefire way to show that you’re from out-of-town. To avoid a stigma at say, the Kentucky Derby, make sure you pronounce it correctly the first time.
Schenectady, NY
Often voted as one of the best places to live among small cities, the most common misfortune plaguing the city is rampant mispronunciation. The correct pronunciation (ski-NEK-ta-dee) is often changed to a soft “SH” sound at the beginning and a plethora of non-sensical attempts for those trying to say it properly.
Cairo, IL
This town, just across the Ohio River from Paducah, KY, has its name mispronounced not because it’s particularly difficult, but because it shares its name (at least in spelling) with the famous Egyptian city. However, this Cairo is pronounced differently on the first syllable, (CARE-o). Because of this, it’s easy to tell locals apart from those traveling through on I-57. The locals also tend to give a bit of heckling to those who mispronounce it.
Kissimmee, FL
The only people that seem to pronounce this town correctly live in central Florida. Virtually all out-of-towners pronounce it KISS-i-mee, rather than the correct way (kuh-SIM-ee). Located near Orlando, the town is home to several theme parks and lakes, although it plays little sibling to Orlando. If you’re ever in the Orlando area, look here to save money on lodging and entertainment; the drive to Orlando is only about 30 to 40 minutes.
Spokane, WA
The second largest city in Washington is usually mispronounced by those following the simple rules of phonics, making it wholly unfair for Washingtonians to expect those from other sides of the country to know better. Instead of saying it how it looks (spo-CANE), it is actually pronounced (spo-CAN). Once you say the name right, there are many things to do in town, but the surrounding scenic beauty is by far the best part.
Newark, DE
Newark is home to the University of Delaware, so if you’re planning on visiting or attending, make sure you pronounce it correctly. Unlike the New Jersey city (pronounced NOO-erk), this city is said like “new” and “ark” back-to-back—new-ARK. Because of Newark, NJ’s relatively unsavory reputation, locals will berate you for the mispronunciation.
Mispronunciations are more the product of different accents than that of ignorance. However, this isn’t something that is particularly a negative; it’s the type of stuff that shaped the country and made it as unique as anywhere else in the world.