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PRONUNCIATION OF PLACE NAMES

Page 2 - L to Z

Page 1 - A to K

The names of many towns and villages are pronounced differently to the way they are spelled / spelt.  The following chart shows just a few:  if you know of any others please send them in so they can be added for others to enjoy.

More information on pronunciation can be found on the other page on site which lists villages and town beginning with the letter A to K.

Spelling

 

Pronunciation

La Jolla, Southern California   La Hoy-er

John Harris

La Jolla, CA is pronounced more like La Hoya or La Hoy-yah, not La Hoy-er.

M. C. Potter

Lachlan (Tasmania) Lack-lan

Rozzie Chapman

or Lock-lan - certainly the river in New South Wales is the latter.

Eric

Lafayette, Georgia: USA    luh-FAY-et

M. Johansson

Launceston (UK)

Lawnston

Lanson or Lawnson

Andrew Nott

Launceston (Tasmania) Lon-ces-ton

Mark Addison

Leadenham, Lincolnshire.  Led'nam

Phil

Leicester
 
 

Lester

Leigh (Kent) Lie

Faye Davies

Leigh (Surrey)

Lie

Stuart Pennington

Leigh (Lancs) Lee

John Brookes

Leominster

(information)

Lemster
Lewes, East Sussex Loowis

Jon Bold

Lincoln Lincon

Anna Bland

Linthwaite (near Huddersfield) Linfit

Francis Taylor

Little Weighton   Little Weeton

Philip

Lobethal, South Australia

 

low-be-thool, lobeth-all.

NOT Lobeth-al or Lobe-taal.

This really bothers us locals.

Rachel

Lodi, Wisconsin LOW-dye

Karen Zethmayr

Loose Looz   

Cathi

Loughborough Luff-br

Sally Pomfrey

Louisiana

 

  loo-EEZ-ee-AN-a (like "easy"), but most locals say loozy-anna.

Mel Johansson

Lower Peover (Cheshire) Lower Peever

Philip

Lowestoft  Lowstuff

Robert Johnson

I think this could be an example of local dialect as here in the South of England it is usually pronounced as written i.e. Lo-es-toft

Mallala, South Australia

 

MAL-uh-lar

Rachel

Malmesbury  Marmsberry                            

 Thanks to Ann  Cook

Malvern (suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
 
in Adelaide it’s pronounced Mulven but in Melbourne it’s pronounced Mallven

Peter G Gleeson, BA (Macq)

Malvern, Worcestershire Mulven                      

 Contributed by Gary Lewis.

Manangatang, Victoria, Australia

 

ma-NANG-ga-tang

NOT

manang-atang

Rachel and Mum

Manea (Cambridgeshire)  May-nee

Sheila Jones

Market Weighton Market Weeton

Philip

Marlborough  Town is pronounced as spelled (first syllable to rhyme with market) but public school is pronounced Morlbro or Mawlbro

Martin Underwood

Marske by the Sea, N.Yorkshire  Mask (with a short 'a' as in apple)

Stuart Pennington

Mazomanie, Wisconsin MAZE-oh-MAY-knee

Karen Zethmayr

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Mel-bn

Peter G Gleeson, BA (Macq)

Meols, Wirral (Cheshire) Mels                                Chris Lynch
Meols Cop, Southport   Meels Cop                         Chris Lynch
Meopham Mepam                     

Sent in by Peter Holman

Mepp-em

Andrew Moore

Midhurst Middust

Paul Haden

I personally think maybe a case of local dialect as opposed to actual pronunciation as I think many people would still say Midhurst.

Mildenhall (Wilthsire) Minal  (to rhyme with spinal)  

David James Jones sent in this one

Milngavie

(information)

Milgi  (as in guy)  

Sent by Bernard Friar & Sandy Henry

Milton Keynes
 
Milton Keens
Mobile, Alabama, USA   MO-beel

M. Johansson

Moe, Victoria, Australia

 

mow-ee

Rachel

Moggil Moggil  (New South Wales) MOE-gill ma-GILL

Rozzie Chapman

Moggil, Queensland, Australia  Mog-il (short o).

Eric

Montgomery, Alabama USA    locally pronounced mun-GUM-ry

M. Johansson

Mousehole Mowzel

Ben Vizard

Massal                                                                            Philip

Munno Para, South Australia MUNna parra

Rachel

Minot, North Dakota USA   MY-not (rhymes with "why not")

M. Johansson

Nailstone, Leicestershire

 

Nelsun (may just be locals)

Sian Mitchell

Nechells, Birmingham  Nee-chells

Janet Horton

Newcastle New-carsel or New-cassel

Peter Draggett

New Norfolk (Tasmania)   New Nor-foke or Norfick

Rozzie Chapman

New Orleans

  New OR-lee-unz but most locals say nawlins

Mel Johansson

Noarlunga, South Australia

 

NOR-lung-ga

NOT no-are-lunga

Rachel

Norwich NORRich

Maggie Butler

Nottingham (Notts)

 

Nott'num

John Brookes

(I think this is more a case of local diction than actual pronunciation)

Old Marston (Oxford) Old Marsden

Jimbo

Olney, Bucks. OHnee

Mark Wheaver

Oswaldtwistle Ozzul-twizzle

Anthony Draper

Owston, Leicestershire  Ooston

Phil

Paignton Painton
Paoli, Wisconsin 2 real live residents: one says pay-OH-lee, the other PEE-oh-lye.

Karen Zethmayr

Penicuik near Edinburgh, Scotland  PennyCook

It comes from the Welsh Pen-y-cok, meaning Cuckoo's Hill.

Kate Palmer

Penistone   Penny -stun

Peter

Plaistow (village in West Sussex)

 

Plaistow, Derbyshire

Plaistow, London

Plaistow, Kent

Plass-toe

Andrew Brooke

PLAY-stow

PLAA-stow or PLASS-tow

PLAA-stow or PLAY-stow,

Pooraka, South Australia

 

p'RAK-uh

Rachel

Potter Heigham (Norfolk) Potter Ham

Derek Appleyard

Poughkeepsie (NY)

(information)

PerKIPPsy

Michael Murphy

Poo-kipp-see

Thanks to Ian for this gem

Nobody says poo-kip-see. I get that it's funny because of the "poo," but, as the first commenter says, it's per-KIPP-see. (Or, if you were phoneticizing for AE speakers, puh-KIPP-see.

Mel Johansson

Pumpkin Center Punkin Center

Tyler Pruett

Rainworth (Nottinghamshire) Rennuth

John Stolarski

Rainworth, is NORMALLY pronounced (by the vast majority of locals) as Rain-worth.

Phil

Ratlinghope, Shropshire

 

Ratchup

C. Smith

Rawtenstall Rottenstorl

Peter Draggett

Redcar, N. Yorkshire Red Car & Red C' (as in the child pronunciation of C for Cat) depending on where exactly in the local area you are from.

Stuart Pennington

Reading Redding

Jan Müller

Reigate Ryegate
Reynella, South Australia

 

ruh-NELL-uh

Rachel

Robeson County, NC   Robbeson

There's no "robe" in it.

M. Johansson

Rolleston, Nottinghamshire.

Rolleston, Canterbury, New Zealand

Rollston

Phil

We also have a Rolleston in Canterbury, New Zealand which I believe should pronounced as Rolls Tun but most of the locals say Rol Less Tun.

Colin Dunn

Rothwell (Northamptonshire)

Sometimes written Rowell

  Roll

John Stolarski

Rotherham, South Yorkshire Rotherum
Ruislip

 

Ryeslip                     

 Sent in by David laver

Rushden (Northamptonshire)   Ruzh-dun

John Stolarski

Rushton (Northamptonshire) Rush-Tonn (emphasis on 2nd syllable)

John Stolarski

Ruthvoes (Cornwall)   Ruthers

Andrew Nott

Salford (Gtr Mcr)

 

SOLLf'd

John Brookes

(I think this is more a case of local diction than actual pronunciation)

Salisbury, England

Salisbury, South Australia

Sawlsbry

Rachel

Sandwith,  Cumbria  sannuth

Foggy

Scalford, Leicestershire Skawlford

Phil

Schenectady, New York SkinEKTerdy

Michael Murphy

Scone, Perth, Scotland Skoon
Sedlescombe, East Sussex Sellzkm

by the people who lived there but that seems to be dying out with the influx of non-Sellzkmites.

Derek Ash

Shrewsbury Shrowsberry                    

From Ann Cook

OR

Shroosbury

Mike Lea-Wilson

Sioux, in any place name (e.g., Sioux City, Iowa)   sue

M. Johansson

Skaneateles, New York   Skinny-ATTerlees

Michael Murphy

OR

Skinny-AT-less

Robin Smith

Slaithwaite (near Huddersfield) "Slawit" (short 'a' of course)

Philip Robinson

There are three ways the locals pronounce Slaithwaite near Huddersfield

"Slay-thwait", "Slath-wait" and "Slawit" as in

"Slough-it"!!  (Slough sounding like 'cow'.)

David Union

Slaugham   Slofam
Slough  Slow (to rhyme with how/now)

Janet Horton

Smethwick (West Midlands)  Smeth-ick (most commonly)

Sme-rick amongst older Black Country speakers.

Janet Horton

Somerby Summerby

Phil

South Croxton, Leicestershire

 

South Crow Sun (Crow like the bird not a group of people)

Sian Mitchell

Southwark

(information)

  Suthuk
Southwell Suthall                                                Ellena Lyons

although there is much local debate with some people still saying Southwell.

The pronunciation of Southwell has been bastardised over the past 30 years.  My wife was born there; her family go back donkeys years in Southwell [In fact the original "Bramley" apple tree still stands in the garden of what was originally one or her relatives] and until I was about  25, neither her nor I had ever heard it called "Suthell".    Whilst this IS now a common used pronunciation of Southwell, (mainly due to radio & TV media), a lot of old South-wellians will spit in your face if you say "Suthell" to them!  I fear that thanks to the media, this is one town that will lose its original pronunciation.

Phil

South Witham South With-ham

Phil

St. Leonards, Sussex Snt Lenards
St. Neots  Saint Near-ts

Andrew Moore

St. Osyth   Toosee

(This could be a nickname rather than actual pronunciation and was sent in by Liza Hicks.)

Staithes, Yorkshire  Stayths

Mandy Gsell

Steers (by locals)

Stuart Pennington

Stawell (Somerset)   Stall

Derek Appleyard

Steyning Stening
Stiffkey (Norfolk)

 

Stewkey

Philip

Stoughton, Leicestershire Stoeton

Jed Bland

Strathaven Straven

Contributed by Sandy Henry

Sydenham, South London Sidnum or Sidnaam

Will Millinship

Tchesinkut Lake, NW British Columbia Te-sink-ut

N.B. A native Indian name which I am sure I have never heard pronounced in the years I spent in Northern BC. Us Caucasian people pronounced it as "Te-sink-ut"

Bev

Teigh (Rutland) Tee

Sian Mitchell

Teston (Kent ) Tees'n

Andrew Smith

Tettenhall  (near Wolverhampton  Teknor

Mike

I disagree with the above: Tettenhall is correctly pronounced as written.

Keith Sedgley

I grew up there and it's pronounced 'Tetnul'.

Dave

Thebarton, South Australia   Thebarton (NOT The Barton)

Belinda

Tobaccoville, USA   tuh-BAK-uh-vl

The vowel in the final syllable of Southern towns ending in -ville is neutral, and barely pronounced at all.

M. Johansson

Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
 
Twoom-bah

Peter G Gleeson, BA (Macq)

Tottenham, London Tottnam
Tucson, Arizona   TOO-sahn

M. Johansson

Towcester

(information)

Toaster

Sometimes pronounced with the first syllable rhyming with "now", probably in an attempt to make the place sound less like a kitchen appliance!

Martin Underwood

Tow Law, County Durham Tow Lah

Peter Draggett

Traquair House, Scotland Trah-kerr
Trottiscliffe (Kent) Trosley

Andrew Smith

Your site states Trottiscliffe in Kent is pronounced "trosley", it is not trosley is a contraction not a pronunciation (and the name of the local park area)

Aaron

After receiving the above comment I did a little more research and according to the BBC it is pronounced "Tross-lee"

 https://h2g2.com/approved_entry/A19773499  

Further comments from Aaron -

I think the problem here is a technical difference, the BBC do not state that the word is pronounced Tross-lee, only that that is what it is called locally. I have lived in the village for over 50 years and this contraction only started to come into common usage about 25 years ago when the park was open, until then it was pronounced as it was written.

As I said it is just a technical difference between pronunciation and contraction, It is similar to saying that young people pronounce McDonalds as Maccy d's, it is just a contraction not a change in the actual pronunciation of the word.

 

Truro Tru-row

Peter Draggett

Tucson, Arizona   TOO-sahn

M. Johansson

Tupelo, Mississippi:, USA

 

  TOOple-oh

Mel Johansson

Ulgham (Northumberland) ...  uffam

Peter Neale

Upper Peover (Cheshire) Upper Peever

Philip  

Urchfont (Nr. Devizes, Wilts) Ushant

Keith Lewis

Uttoxeter, Staffordshire Uttoxeter in Staffordshire is pronounced Oot-oxeter where the first syllable rhymes with "foot", not Yew-toxeter.  In fact it's traditionally pronounced "oot-cheter". This is how my dad says it and the following website says Geoffrey Manners Cavendish, former owner of Crakemarsh Hall, says a posher version "Axeter"

http://staffordshirebred.com/2013/07/26/other-peoples-houses/ (towards the bottom of the page).

Nathaniel Boden

Wagga Wagga 
(New South Wales)
Wogga (second Wagga is normally omitted)

Rozzie Chapman

If the second Wagga is not omitted, it is pronounced the same as the first.

Eric

Walcha (New South Wales) Wol-ka

Rozzie Champan

Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
 
War-na-bool

Peter G Gleeson, BA (Macq)

Warwick Warrick

Anna Bland

Wednesbury, West Midlands Wensbury

Robert J. Croton

Welwyn Wellin

Andrew Moore

Weymouth, Dorset Waymuth
Whitwick Wittik                                                 Sent in by Sheila Fox
Wickhambreaux Wickem-brew

Ken Dryden

Wigan, Lancs. Wiggin

John Brookes

(I think this is more a case of local diction than actual pronunciation)

Wildboarclough, Cheshire Wilbercluff (local pronunciation)
Woolfardisworthy (Devon) 

(information)

Woolsery

Philip Robinson

Worcester

 

Wooster (as in Wood and Good)
Worle Wurl

James Bruton

Wrotham Rootam                      

Sent in by Cathi

Rootm

We locals in north Kent pronounce it root’m (there is no “a” sound).

Derek Ash

Wudinna, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia 

 

wood-na

NOT

"woo-dinner" or variations thereupon.

Rachel and Mum

Wybunbury (Cheshire)   wimberry

RS

Wymondham, Norwich Windam

Philip

Wymondham, Leicestershire Why-mund-ham

Phil

Yachats, Oregon, USA. Ya-hots

Paul Marshall

Yatala, South Australia

 

YAT-la

Rachel

 

A BIT OF FUN AND OTHER INTERESTING SNIPPETS

How 'bout Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. It's named after a 1950s TV game show. Its former name was Hot Springs*

Curtis Croulet 


Another US place name that's pronounced as spelled, but it's the why that's colorful: Plum Nelly Georgia, near the Tennessee border is so named because it's Plum out of Tennessee and "nelly" out of Georgia    

Karen Zethmayr


 

"Menzies" (a Scottish clan and castle) - pronounced "MING-iss"

"Pitjantjatjara", which is actually a tribe - pronounced "pigeon-jar-uh"

Rachel and Mum


 

 

 

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