List of places in the United States with counterintuitive pronunciations: M–Z
This list is a sublist of List of names in English with counterintuitive pronunciations.
Place names in the United States of America
M
- Mackinac Island, Michigan – /ˈmækᵻnɔː/
- Madras, Oregon – /ˈmædrəs/
- Madrid, Alabama, Madrid, Maine, Madrid, New Mexico, and New Madrid, Missouri – /ˈmædrɪd/
- Malad City, Idaho and Malad River – /məˈlæd/
- Malheur County, Oregon and Malheur River – /ˈmælhjər/
- Manchaca, Texas – /ˈmænʃæk/
- Manor, Texas – /ˈmeɪnər/
- Mantua, Utah – /ˈmænəweɪ/
- Marquam, Oregon – /ˈmɑːrkəm/
- Marseilles, Illinois – /mɑːrˈseɪlz/
- Martinez, Georgia – /mɑːrtᵻˈnɛz/
- Mattapan (neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts) – /mætəˈpæn/
- Maury County, Tennessee – /ˈmɜːrreɪ/
- McGaheysville, Virginia – /məˈɡækizvɪl/
- Mebane, North Carolina - /ˈmɛbən/
- Medina, Ohio, WA and NY – /mᵻˈdaɪnə/
- Mesa, Washington – /ˈmiːsə/
- Methow, Washington – /ˈmɛtaʊ/
- Mexia, Texas – i/məˈheɪə/
- Miami, Oklahoma – /maɪˈæmə/ [n 1]
- Micanopy, Florida – /mɪkəˈnoʊpi/ mik-ə-NO-pee
- Michigan – i/ˈmɪʃᵻɡən/
- Milan, Illinois, IN, MI, NH, OH, TN, and WA – i/ˈmaɪlən/
- Minam, Oregon – /ˈmaɪnəm/
- Minot, North Dakota – /maɪnɒt/
- Missouri – /mᵻˈzʊəri/ or /mᵻˈzɜːrrə/
- Mobile, Alabama – /moʊˈbiːl/
- Monson, Massachusetts – /ˈmʌnsən/
- Montague, Texas – /ˈmɒntæɡ/
- Montpelier
- Montpelier, Vermont and others /mɒntˈpiːliər/ [n 2]
- Montpelier, VA – /mɒntpəˈlɪr/
- Moscow, Idaho – /ˈmɒskoʊ/ [n 3]
- Mulino, Oregon – /məˈlaɪnoʊ/
N
- Nacogdoches, Texas – /ˌnækəˈdoʊtʃᵻs/
- Nahant, Massachusetts – /nəˈhɑːnt/
- Naselle, Washington – /neɪˈsɛl/
- Natchitoches, Louisiana – /ˈnækᵻtəʃ/
- Nenana, Alaska and Nenana River – /niːˈnænə/
- Neodesha, Kansas – /niːˈoʊdəʃeɪ/
- Nespelem, Washington – /nɛsˈpiːləm/
- Netarts, Oregon – /ˈniːtɑːrts/
- Nevada – /nəˈvædə/ [n 4]
- Nevada County, Arkansas; IA; IN and MO – /nəˈveɪdə/
- Newark, Ohio – /ˈnɜːrk/[n 5]
- New Berlin, six locations in the United States – (see Berlin)
- New Orleans – /nuːˈɔərlᵻnz/ or /ˈnɔərlᵻnz/ (locally)[n 6]
- New Madrid, Missouri – /ˈmædrɪd/ (see Madrid above)
- New Prague, Minnesota – /ˈpreɪɡ/
- New Tripoli, Pennsylvania - /ˌnjuː trɪˈpoʊli/
- Norfolk, Nebraska – /ˈnɔərfɔərk/
- Norfolk, Virginia – /ˈnɔːfʊk/[n 7]
O
- Ochelata, Oklahoma – /oʊʃəˈleɪtə/
- Ojai, California – /ˈoʊhaɪ/
- Olathe, Kansas – /oʊˈleɪθə/
- Ontonagon, Michigan – /ˌɒntəˈnɑːɡən/
- Orcas Island, Washington – /ˈɔərkəs/
- Ouray, Colorado – /ˈjʊəreɪ/
- Owyhee River and Owyhee County, Idaho – /oʊˈwaɪhi/
P
- Palacios, Texas – /pəˈlæʃəs/
- Palermo, North Dakota – /ˈpælərmoʊ/
- Palestine, Texas – /ˈpælᵻstiːn/ [n 8]
- Palo Gaucho Bayou, Texas – /ˈpɑːliˈɡɑːtʃ/
- Palouse, Washington – /pəˈluːs/
- Pass Christian, Mississippi – /ˌpæskrɪsˈtʃæn/ or /ˌpæskrɪstʃiːˈæn/[n 9]
- Pawtucket, Rhode Island – /pəˈtʌkᵻt/
- Peabody, Massachusetts – /ˈpiːbədi/[n 10]
- Pearrygin Lake, Washington – /ˈpɛərᵻdʒɪn/
- Pedernales River, Texas – /ˌpɜːrdəˈnælᵻs/
- Pend Oreille County, Washington and Pend Oreille (also Pend d'Oreille) River – /pɒndəˈreɪ/, (see also Ponderay, Idaho).
- Peru, Indiana - /ˈpiːruː/
- Pfafftown, North Carolina – /ˈpɑːftaʊn/
- Picabo, Idaho and Picabo Street – /ˈpiːkəbuː/
- Pierre, South Dakota – /ˈpɪər/
- Piceance Creek & Basin, Colorado – /ˈpiː.ɔːnts/ or /ˈpiː.ænts/
- Placer County & Placerville, California – /ˈplæsər/
- Plano, Texas – /ˈpleɪnoʊ/ [n 11]
- Plymouth, Massachusetts as elsewhere – /ˈplɪməθ/
- Point Mugu, California – /ˌpɔɪnt.məˈɡuː/
- Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico – /pəˈwɑːki/[n 12]
- Port Hueneme, California – /pɔərtwaɪˈniːmi/
- Pompeii, Michigan – /ˈpɒmpiː.aɪ/ [n 13]
- Poughkeepsie, New York – /pəˈkɪpsi/
- Poulsbo, Washington – /ˈpɑːlzboʊ/
- Prague, Oklahoma – /ˈpreɪɡ/
- Puget Sound, Washington – /ˈpjuːdʒᵻt/
- Purgatoire River, Colorado – /ˈpɪkᵻt.waɪər/, also spelled Picketwire
- Pulaski, New York - /pəˈlæskaɪ/
- Puyallup, Washington – /pjuːˈæləp/
Q
- Quincy, Massachusetts – /ˈkwɪnzi/
- Quitaque, Texas – /ˈkɪtᵻkweɪ/
- Qulin, Missouri – /ˈkjuːlᵻn/
R
- Raleigh, North Carolina – /ˈrɑːli/[n 14]
- Refugio, Texas – /rəˈfjʊərioʊ/
- Refugio, name of several places in Santa Barbara – /rəˈfjuːfioʊ/ or sometimes /rəˈfjuːhioʊ/
- Rhea County, Tennessee – /ˈreɪ/
- Riga, New York – /ˈraɪɡə/
- Rio, Florida – /ˌraɪ.oʊ/
- Rio Grande, Ohio – /ˌraɪ.oʊˈɡrænd/
- Ruch, Oregon – /ˈruːʃ/
- Russia, Ohio – /ˈruːʃiː/
- Rutherfordton, North Carolina – locally /ˈrʌlftən/ or variations of it
S
- Saline, Michigan and Saline County, Illinois – /səˈliːn/
- Samish Island, Washington – /ˈsæmɪʃ/
- Sammamish, Washington – /səˈmæmɪʃ/
- San Jose, Illinois – i/sænˈdʒoʊz/
- San Rafael, California – /sænrəˈfɛl/
- San Xavier, Arizona – /sænˈhɑːvieɪ/
- Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – /ˈsuː seɪnt məˈriː/
- Schaghticoke, New York – /ˈskætᵻkʊk/ or /ˈskætkoʊk/
- Schuylkill in Pennsylvania – /ˈskuːkəl/
- Sebring, Florida – /ˈsiːbrɪŋ/ SEE-bring
- Sedro-Woolley, Washington – /ˈsiːdroʊˈwʊli/
- Sekiu, Washington – /ˈsiːkjuː/
- Semiahmoo Bay, Washington – /sɛmiˈɑːmoʊ/
- Sequim, Washington – /ˈskwɪm/
- Shawangunk (Mountains, town, river and prison in Hudson Valley, NY) /ˈʃɑːn.ɡʌm/[n 15]
- Shoshone, Idaho – /ʃoʊˈʃoʊn/
- Siuslaw River, Oregon – /saɪˈjuːslɔː/
- Skagit (name of a Native American tribe and various locales in Washington) – /ˈskædʒᵻt/
- Skamokawa, Washington – /skəˈmɒkəweɪ/
- Skaneateles (Lake, village and Town, NY) - /ˌskɪniˈætləs/
- Sol Duc River, Washington – /ˈsoʊldʌk/ also spelled Soleduck
- Spokane, Washington – /spoʊˈkæn/
- Staunton, Virginia – /ˈstænʔn/ or /ˈstæntən/[n 16]
- Stehekin, Washington – /stəˈhiːkᵻn/
- Steilacoom, Washington – /ˈstɪləkʌm/
- Suisun City, California – /sᵻˈsuːn/
- Swansea, Massachusetts – /ˈswɑːnzi/
T
- Taliaferro County, Georgia – /ˈtɒlᵻvər/
- Tanana, Alaska and Tanana River – /ˈtænənɑː/
- Tekoa, Washington – /ˈtiːkoʊ/
- Telocaset, Oregon – /ˌtɛləˈkæsᵻt/
- Terre Haute, Indiana – /ˌtɛrəˈhoʊt/ (also /ˌtɛrəˈhʌt/)
- Tewksbury, Massachusetts – traditionally /ˈtʊksbəri/
- Thames River (Connecticut) - intuitive /ˈθeɪmz/, rather than familiar /tɛmz/, as in the River Thames
- The Dalles, Oregon – /ˈdælz/
- Thibodaux, Louisiana – /ˈtɪbədoʊ/
- Throop, Pennsylvania - /ˈtruːp/
- Tieton, Washington – /ˈtaɪ.ᵻtən/
- Tigard, Oregon – /ˈtaɪɡərd/
- Tillamook County, Oregon – /ˈtɪləmʌk/ or locally /ˈtɪləmʊk/
- Tok, Alaska – /ˈtoʊk/
- Tooele, Utah – /tuːˈɪlə/
- Topsail Beach, North Carolina – /ˈtɒpsəl/
- Touchet River, Washington
- Toutle River, Washington
- Tripoli, Iowa – /trᵻˈpoʊlə/
- Tualatin, Oregon, Tualatin River – /tuːˈɑːlətᵻn/
- Tucson, Arizona – /ˈtuːsɒn/
- Tulare, California – /tuːˈlɛəri/ or /tuːˈlɛər/
- Tuolumne River, Meadows, and County, California – /tuːˈɒləmiː/
- Tygh Valley, Oregon – /ˈtaɪ/
V
- Vacaville, California – /ˈvækəvɪl/[n 17]
- Valatie, New York – /vəˈleɪʃə/
- Valdez, Alaska – /vælˈdiːz/
- Vallejo, California – /vəˈleɪhoʊ/, locally /vəˈleɪ.oʊ/
- Veneta, Oregon – /vᵻˈniːtə/
- Verdi, Nevada – /ˈvɜːrdaɪ/
- Vergennes, Vermont – /vərˈdʒɛnz/
- Versailles, Illinois, IN, KY, MO, OH, and PA – i/vɜːrˈseɪlz/
- Vici, Oklahoma – /ˈvaɪsaɪ/
- Vienna, Georgia, IL, OH, and SD – i/vaɪˈænə/
W
- Wahkiakum County, Washington – /wəˈkaɪ.əkəm/
- Wallowa, Oregon, Wallowa County, and the Wallowa Mountains – /wəˈlaʊ.ə/
- Waltham, Massachusetts – /ˈwɔːlθæm/[n 18]
- Waukesha, Wisconsin - /ˈwɔːkᵻʃɔː/
- Wayzata, Minnesota - /waɪˈzɛtə/
- Weippe, Idaho – /ˈwiː.aɪp/
- Weiser, Idaho – /ˈwiːzər/
- Whitemarsh Island – /ˈhwɪtmɑːrʃ/
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania – /ˈwɪlksbɛrə/, /ˈwɪlksbɛri/, or /ˈwɪlksbɛr/
- Willamette River, Oregon – /wɪˈlæmᵻt/
- Willapa River and Willapa Hills, Washington – /ˈwɪləpɑː/
- Woburn, Massachusetts – /ˈwuːbərn/[n 19]
- Woonsocket, Rhode Island – /wunˈsɒkɪt/
- Wooster, Ohio - /ˈwʊstər/[n 20]
- Worcester, Massachusetts and Worcester County, Maryland – /ˈwʊstər/[n 21]
Y
- Yakima, Yakima County, and Yakima River, Washington – /ˈjækəˌmɑː/ [n 22]
- Yachats, Oregon – /ˈjɑːhɑːts/
- Yaquina Bay and related places in Oregon – /jəˈkwɪnə/
- Yocona River, Mississippi – /ˈjɒkni/
- Youghiogheny River, U.S. – /ˌjɔːkəˈɡeɪni/
- Yountville, California - /ˈjɔːntvɪl/ or /ˈjaʊntvɪl/
- Yreka, California – /waɪˈriːkə/
Z
- Zzyzx, California – /ˈzaɪ.zᵻks/
See also
- List of places in the United States with counterintuitive pronunciations: A–L
- Grapheme
- English spelling
- Pronunciation of Chinese names in English - counterintuitive Q, X, C, Zh, etc. in words romanised in Pinyin.
Notes and References
- Notes
- ↑ c.f. the obvious final syllable of Miami, Florida
- ↑ All derived from Montpellier, France /m
- ↑ equivalent to the British English pronunciation of Moscow, Russia. Other Moscows in America are /ˈmɒskaʊ/, the American English pronunciation of the Russian city.
- ↑ The pronunciation /nəˈvɑːdə/, while fairly common (particularly in the eastern United States), is stigmatized locally.
- ↑ cf. Newark, New Jersey /ˈnuːərk/ and cf Newark, Delaware and Newark, New York /ˈnuːɑːrk/ generally
- ↑ Traditionally locally /ˈnwɔərlᵻnz/ with a very light w is used, i.e. between the local and national.
- ↑ Identical to the English county of Norfolk, and intuitive given the common word folk. Popular navy wordplay notwithstanding, the vowel in the last syllable is unstressed, very short, and closed, as in foot. Locals born in or after the last half of the 20th Century, who have partly or wholly adopted the American Broadcast Accent, often pronounce it /ˈnɔːrfɪk/ with the r substituted for /ɻ/
- ↑ cf. Palestine: /ˈpælᵻstaɪn/
- ↑ cf. the regular American pronunciation of "Christian", /ˈkrɪstʃən/
- ↑ Not intuitive /ˈpiː.ˈbɒdi/
- ↑ cf. common and well-known Spanish approximations elsewhere.
- ↑ Or intuitively per Spanish among Hispanics
- ↑ Italian ruined city pronounced /pɒmˈpeɪ/)
- ↑ c.f. Raleigh surname and brands traditionally said like Wall
- ↑ Locally.
- ↑ In everyday speech a glottal stop replaces the /tə/ in the second syllable. In careful or formal speech, the /t/ is clearly pronounced, but the vowel is pronounced as a schwa.
- ↑ Not /vækæ/
- ↑ Same as examples in England such as London Borough of Waltham Forest. cf. greatly US well-known comparators.
- ↑ Woburn, Bedfordshire and Woburn, Toronto are simply /ˈwoʊbərn/
- ↑ Mispronounced as /ˈwuːstər/
- ↑ As per traditional English town, county and sauce
- ↑ Though the pronunciation /ˈjækəmə/ is also heard. The Native American people for whom the river, city, and county are named now prefer the spelling Yakama.
Further reading
- G. M. Miller (editor) (1971). BBC pronouncing dictionary of British names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-431125-2.
- Ordnance Survey of Ireland (1989). Gazetteer of Ireland. Government Publications Office. ISBN 0-7076-0076-6.
External links
- h2g2 guide to Pronouncing British Placenames
- How Do You Pronounce That Name? on genealogymagazine.com
- A Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures
- Debrett's Pronunciation of English surnames.
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