There are places that we sometimes fail to pronounce correctly. Natives of these places even don’t get it right sometimes, mainly because they’re just not that easy to pronounce. Most of the time, letters in the words are either silent or they’re pronounced differently depending on what pace you are in.
Well to cut things short, here are some of the places that are commonly mispronounced:
1. REYKJAVIK, Iceland
How people say it -> “RAKE-ja-vik”
How it should sound -> “REY-kya-vik”
2. BANGKOK, Thailand
How people say it -> “Bang-kok”
How it should sound -> “Bahng-Gawk”
3. DUBAI, U.A.E.
How people say it -> “Doo-BYE”
How it should sound -> “Du-BAY”
4. VERSAILLES, France
How people say it -> “Ver-SAYLZ”
How it should sound -> “Ver-SYE”
5. PHUKET, Thailand
How people say it -> “FUH-ket”
How it should sound -> “poo-GET”
6. BEIJING, China
How people say it -> “Bay-zhhhing”
How it should sound -> “Bey-Jing”
7. BUDAPEST, Hungary
How people say it -> “Boo-da-PEST
How it should sound -> “Boo-da-PESHT”
8. BRISBANE, Australia
How people say it -> “Bris-BAYNE”
How it should sound -> “Bris’bn”
9. CANNES, France
How people say it -> “Can-nes”
How it should sound -> “can”
10. MELBOURNE, Australia
How people say it -> “Mel-BORN”
How it should sound -> “Melb’n”
11. MONTREAL, Canada
How people say it -> “MON-tree-ALL”
How it should sound -> “MUN-tree-all”
12. NIGER, Western Africa
How people say it -> “NYE-jer”
How it should sound -> “nee-ZHAIR”
13. ARKANSAS
How people say it -> “Ar-kan-sas”
How it should sound -> “Ark-an-saw”
14. TIJUANA
How people say it -> “Tee-uh-WAN-na”
How it should sound -> “Tee-WHANNA”
15. QATAR
How people say it -> “Kah-TAR”
How it should sound -> “Kuh-Ter”
16. COLUMBIA
How people say it -> “Co-LUM-bee-a”
How it should sound -> “Co-LOHM-bee-a”
17. PAKISTAN
How people say it -> “PAK-ee-Stan”
How it should sound -> “PAH-kee-Stahn”
18. IRAQ
How people say it -> “EYE-rack”
How it should sound -> “ee-ROCK”
19. OREGON
How people say it -> “OR-eh-GONE”
How it should sound -> “OR-eh-g*n”
20. THE RIVER THAYMES, UK
How people say it -> “THAYms”
How it should sound -> “TEMs”
21. SPOKANE, Washington
How people say it -> “Spo-CANE”
How it should sound -> “Spo-CAN”
22. WORCESTER, Massachusetts
How people say it -> “WOR-sess-ter”
How it should sound -> “WOOS-ter”
23. HELENA, USA
How people say it -> “Hel-AY-na”
How it should sound -> “HELL-en-a”
24. BOISE, ID
How people say it -> “BOY-zee”
How it should sound -> “BOY-see”
25. IBIZA, Spain
How people say it -> “i-BEE-zuh”
How it should sound -> “eye-BEE-thuh”
26. MACKINAC ISLAND, MI
How people say it -> “MACK-in-ack”
How it should sound -> “MACK-in-aw”
27. YOSEMITE, National Park California
How people say it -> “YO-Se-MIGHT”
How it should sound -> “YOH-sem-it-ee”
28. VIA DOLOROSA, Jerusalem
How people say it -> “Vee-ya DEL-A Ro-sa”
How it should sound -> “Vee-ya DOLL-o Ro-sa”
29. OAXACA, Mexico
How people say it -> “WOKS-ah-kuh”
How it should sound -> “wuh-HOCK-uh”
30. GSTAD, Switzerland
How people say it -> “Guh-STAHD”
How it should sound -> “shtot”
31. KISSIMMEE, Florida
How people say it -> “KISS-im-mee”
How it should sound -> “Ka-SE-IM-mee”
32. LEICESTER SQUARE, London
How people say it -> “LYE-ces-thur”
How it should sound -> “LESS-tuhr”
33. BEAULIUE, Hampshire England
How people say it -> “Bee-uh-Lee-uh”
How it should sound -> “Bew-Lee”
34. SITGES, Spain
How people say it -> “SEET-jizz”
How it should sound -> “SET-jess”
35. NEWFOUNDLAND, Canada
How people say it -> “New-found-land”
How it should sound -> “NEW-fin-dlund”
36. EDINBURGH, Scotland
How people say it -> “ED-in-burg”
How it should sound -> “ED-in-burr-uh”
37. GOTHAM, Nottinghamshire, England
How people say it -> “Got-ham”
How it should sound -> “Goat-ham”
38. MARBELLA, Spain
How people say it -> “mar-BEL-yuh”
How it should sound -> “mar-BAY-yuh”
39. BEAULIUE, Hampshire England
How people say it -> “Bee-uh-Lee-uh”
How it should sound -> “Bew-Lee”
LA JOLLA, California
How people say it -> “La JOL-LA”
How it should sound -> “La HOY-a”
If you love traveling and if you’re planning to visit these places, try pronouncing these places in the correct way to avoid getting negative feedback especially from people around the place. Yes, it might not be always the case but, who knows, maybe this can save your life.
