Prounouncing place nameswrong

[saxy_jag]

Prompted by a question in Arts & Lit, I should like to know, what are the most annoying pronounciations of placenames, in particular, those near where you live?

For instance, BBC reporters always refer to a nearby village, Groby, as 'Grow-by', and we're sick of telling them it should be 'Grewby'. And please note, Stoughton and Houghton (in this county, at least) are pronounced 'Stoe-ton' and 'Hoe-ton' not Stout-on, Hou-ton, Storton or Horton.

Perhaps the funniest was when a biker at a set of traffic lights (but he was German, so I'll let him off) asked me if he was heading in the right direction for 'low borow'. I leave you to guess what he meant. And yes, bless him, I did put him right.

[lankeela]

And Shaney, surely you mean Costessey?

First time I've been in P & P for a long while, how I long for the old topics.

[Quizmonster]

And there was I thinking that 'burgh' was almost exclusively a Scottish variant - as in Edinburgh/ Fraserburgh etc - whilst 'borough' was the almost invariable English form...how silly of me!
As we were discussing pronunciation rather than spelling, it didn't even occur to me to check whether the old 'Happi-land' in Norfolk was t'one or t'other.
(Does 'haze' sound very different from 'hays'?)

[shaneystar2]

Oh dear another spelling pedant .....I do apologise Miss.

[shaneystar2]

Don't worry about QM it's falling off the cliffs anyway ..it will be Happisplosh soon .

[saxy_jag]

I was once told that Jedburgh, in Scotland, should be pronounced (something like) 'Jeddaragh'.

Is that right?

And what about Wisbech? Is it 'Wisbeck' or 'Wisbeech'

We have another howler in Leicestershire - Syston.

It is NOT pronounced, 'Cistern'. :->

[lankeela]

Usually prounounced Wisbich me ducks.

[lankeela]

There have been many varied spellings of Happisburgh,
inlcuding Haisborogh Sands (no 'u') Haisbro Sand and Hasbro.

Thinking about other Norfolk place names, don't forget
Ingoldisthorpe (Inglesthorpe), Hindolveston (Hindleston)
and Hautbois (Hobbis).

Basically they just seem to mumble some letters under their breath (sometimes vowels, sometimes consonants) and if you say them really slowly you can hear the whole word even in the shortened versions.

[shaneystar2]

Oh dear ....not only can we not spell we now mumble ....there must be some funny old mawthers in Norfolk.

[Quizmonster]

If Wales appeals to you, Shaney, you're obviously going to have to move to Mumbles!

[heathfield]

Fife seems to have its fair share, too. Anstruther is pronounced ' Ainster', 'Culross' is 'Kew-ross' , amongst many. Fortunately, 'Auchtermuchty' is pronounced as it's spelled (!).

[lady_p_gold]

Congratulations Quiz Monster that is some feat! I used to live near Kingskerswell and everyone called it Kinkers Well instead of Kings Kerswell

[TravellerDad]

I used to live in Rugeley (pronounced Roojeley btw not rudjly or ruggerley) near Utooxeter and always called it 'You -tox -itter' as did everyone I knew. However I recently moved back to the area - to Uttoxeter in fact and notice that some locals do pronounce it 'Utcheter' which apparantley was much more common in years past. `so you are both right! Going back further i have discovered it was more commonly 'Uxeter' as well.
This article sums up the kind of confusion that comes from local accents and the influence of so many cultures on the English language (plus place names).
http://www.uttoxeter-news.co.uk/News/So-what-is-the-origin-of-our-town146s-name.htm