Reuters brings us a list of the world’s most mispronounced places, reminding me of those occasionally confused conversations with local people on travels…
1. Phuket, Thailand
This is definitely not a good one to learn the hard way and to make it even more difficult, advice on the correct way to pronounce it can vary. To avoid scowls, general disdain, and possibly worse, go with "Pu-get."
2. Mooball, Australia
While Mooball may sound like a cute term of bovine endearment, it’s actually pronounced "Moo-bull."
3. La Jolla, California
What does the sport of boxing have in common with beautiful La Jolla, California? Not much except to get this one right, you need to rhyme it with the boxer, Oscar de la Hoya.
4. Oaxaca, Mexico
For non-Spanish speakers, the chances of mangling this one are pretty high. Just remember that there’s no "hoax" in Oaxaca and that Osaka is in Japan. The correct way to say it is "Wah-ha-ca."
5. Hjo, Sweden
The correct pronunciation of the town is "You."
6. Wauchope, Australia
If you want to give the locals a good laugh, refer to this as "War-choppy." The real pronunciation is actually "War-hope."
7. Cobh, Ireland
Even the simplest of names can be deceptive. Keep in mind that it’s on an island, not in a cornfield, so pronounce it "Cove," not "Cob."
8. Coxsackie, New York
When trying to pronounce Coxsackie, don’t think of Courteney Cox but what her character on "Friends" did for a living — cook. So in this part of the world, just think "Cook-sock-ee!"
9. Sequim, Washington
"Sqwim" is actually the correct pronunciation for the town known as the Lavender Capital of North America.
10. Ptuj, Slovenia
The residents of Ptuj must get tired of hearing the name of this pretty town get butchered over and over again. When pronounced correctly, it sounds like a dainty sneeze: "P-too-ee.
Have any more??
From Reuters. Image courtesy of Solar ikon at Flickr under a Creative Commons Licence.