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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsNeed some help - please suggest names of towns/cities that are HARD TO SPELL
My 10 year old grandson is an award-winning speller and I'm very proud of him. I challenged him to learn how to spell Punxsutawney (small town in Pennsylvania) and he learned it. Proud Grandma that I am, I gave him $5.
Now I have to come up with even more challenging names and I thought maybe you guys could help me out.
I guess I should probably limit it to towns and cities in the USA, just to play fair.
Let me know what you come up with.
Happy BLUE Year 2018!
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,996 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)My grandson might already know that one, but I'm adding it to the list anyway.
Thanks!
dawg day
(7,947 posts)lastlib
(23,381 posts)dawg day
(7,947 posts)Dulcinea
(6,692 posts)Those get spelled wrong all the time.
CurtEastPoint
(18,683 posts)CurtEastPoint
(18,683 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Even adults get these wrong.
irisblue
(33,056 posts)Named for the Greek General who helped in the Revolution.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thanks
lapucelle
(18,409 posts)1. Aquebogue, New York
2. Winnemucca, Nevada
3. Ketchikan, Alaska
4. Worcester, Massachusetts
5. Pflugerville, Texas
6. Champaign, Illinois
7. Skaneateles, New York
8. Saguache, Colorado
9. Kaumalapau, Hawaii
10. Meeteetse, Wyoming
Good luck pronouncing them!
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/24/most-difficult-cities-to-spell_n_7654308.html
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I'm not even sure if I could spell these, because they're definitely tough.
I've actually been to Champaign, Worcester and Skaneateles, haven't heard of these others.
Thanks for the HuffPo link too.
Dale Neiburg
(698 posts)h/t: The Austin Lounge Lizards
Mopar151
(10,013 posts)Passumsic VT
Skookumchuk brook
Ompompanoosuc river
Winnipisaukee lake
Umbagog lake
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I hope I can pronounce these.
mitch96
(13,947 posts)Just put the word in google translate. I comes up with a little icon on in the lower left hand corner that looks like a speaker. I'll say the word for you properly... Same with foreign words too...
m
sl8
(14,016 posts)madamesilverspurs
(15,821 posts)Also -- Puyallup WA (for that matter, there's a long list of cities and towns in Washington with interesting names, some of them tongue-twisting)
.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I'm not familiar with most of the Washington state names, but I do know there are lots of Indian names.
Thanks
NRaleighLiberal
(60,036 posts)world wide wally
(21,760 posts)Makes absolutely no phonetic sense at all....in English
NRaleighLiberal
(60,036 posts)Such fun growing up in New England!
world wide wally
(21,760 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,996 posts)If you want to include Wales, there's Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I think the Welsh names will have to wait. Not sure I could pronounce that anyway.
IamFortunesFool
(348 posts)...outside Chattanooga, Tennessee. Pronounced (Ūl-ta-wa)
Derived from Cherokee word (italwah) for Principle Ground.
Local red necks say it means owl or owls nest... I think mainly because the ool sounds somewhat like an owl hoot when they attempt to articulate it. At any rate, the local high school mascot is an owl...
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)ret5hd
(20,563 posts)Well, that's how it sounds anyway.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Yep, I've been there, and that is how they pronounce it.
ailsagirl
(22,908 posts)Pflugerville, Texas
Skaneateles, New York
Aquebogue, New York
Kaumalapau, Hawaii
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thank you! My grandson already knows Schenectady but these other names are tough.
Chipper Chat
(9,706 posts)Bret Farrrrrrrrrrrve. LOL
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)nocoincidences
(2,237 posts)It's pronounced Wox like box, not wax like ax.
And the fact that it is hard to spell is part of a very funny joke that you have to know Texas to get.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thanks for letting me know. This is a great suggestion.
Paladin
(28,287 posts)Mexia is pronounced "Meh-HEY-ya." It's a nice town, not too far from Dallas.
3catwoman3
(24,127 posts)I tried twice by myself, and it didn't look right, and finally had to Google to remember the correct spelling. The city site says the name derives from a Mohawk word.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)However my grandson already knows this one - can you believe it?
Most adults can't get it right and my 10-year old grandson can spell it.
That's why I want to challenge him with harder names.
Thanks for playing!
BigMin28
(1,186 posts)I was born in Schenectady, but grew up in Texas. I remember being very proud when I learned to spell it. Around age 8 I think. My Dad love to do spelling / definition challenges with my brothers and me.
Lochloosa
(16,084 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thanks for the suggestion
csziggy
(34,140 posts)Heck, some have trouble spelling Tallahassee!
The inhabitants of Wewahitchka hate spelling it so much they call it Wewa.
For even more challeges, try Welsh place names, such as the famous Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch - the longest place place name in Europe. My ancestors came from the much shorter named village of Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn.
For more long names: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_long_place_names
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I'll bet most adults can't spell Kissimmee correctly.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)I had to spell check it 😉
Callmecrazy
(3,065 posts)And the Caloosahatchee river.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)"Punxsutawney ~ Home of Punxsutawney Phil"
(THE GROUNDHOG)
Ten years ago I was in Omaha, Nebraska on Groundhog's Day,
watching the local news.
The weatherman had a sign that read "Punxatawney Phil".
Now, if there's one town a weatherman should know how to spell, it's Punxsutawney,
which is a Delaware Indian name meaning "town of the sandflies" or "town of the mosquitoes".
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)You can spell Punxsutawney and the weather guys can't.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)It's called "Punxsy".
"I'm going into Punxsy to do some grocery shopping."
Dulcinea
(6,692 posts)Also, the famous weather groundhog is "Punxsy Phil."
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)Having lived near there from the mid-40's to 1959,
and gone to elementary and junior high school there,
I never heard him referred to as "Punxsy Phil".
It was always 'Punxsutawney Phil'.
Dulcinea
(6,692 posts)Us dahn Pittsburgh way said "Punxsy Phil." I guess YMMV!
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)How to talk like you're from Pittsburgh
They call it Pittsburghese, and some have said it's the ugliest accent in America.
http://www.pennlive.com/life/2016/09/pittsburghese_talk_like_pittsb.html
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thank you
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)Chappaqua, NY
Chipper Chat
(9,706 posts)It's pronounced "vee vee"
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I'm getting a nice long list!
5X
(3,972 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I've got to learn how to pronounce this.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)...however I think my grandson already knows this one.
I'm adding it to my list anyway, just in case.
Thanks!
MiniMe
(21,724 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,169 posts)Skaneatles, NY.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)What makes these hard is the pronunciation.
Skinny-at-a-lis, am I right?
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)Locals pronounce them "wister" and "lester".
There is and a lake in Webster Ma named:
Lake Chaubunagungamaug.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chaubunagungamaug
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)I worked with some student nurses from Worcester,
and they called it 'Wooster'.
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)I think some people think of Wooster Ohio.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)CentralMass
(15,265 posts)NRaleighLiberal
(60,036 posts)CentralMass
(15,265 posts)NRaleighLiberal
(60,036 posts)Graduated HS in 1974. We will be in CT, and probably head for Cape Cod, in Feb - got a gardening talk in Hartford.
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thank you!
Cirque du So-What
(26,031 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thank you!
Response to FakeNoose (Original post)
sinkingfeeling This message was self-deleted by its author.
sinkingfeeling
(51,497 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thank you!
madamesilverspurs
(15,821 posts)It's a town in Wales.
Thought it might come in handy if he bests you too often, might save you $5.
Also of note: Some of our local parents reward their kids for reading our newspaper; it's notorious for editing fails, including poor spelling and the frequent use of wrong words (their for there, for instance). The kids get 25c for every error they find, and some of them gather a tidy sum each week. And they are honing their reading skills in the process.
.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I'm retired now, but in my career I was a typesetter and proofreader for many years. Those are skills that aren't even taught in the art schools any more. My grandson is an excellent reader but I'm sure he could improve his grammar, punctuation and vocabulary skills by pretending to be a copy editor on the newspaper. We'll definitely try that.
As for the town in Wales, I don't think I'll add it to the spelling list because it wouldn't be fair.
Thanks for playing!
wendyb-NC
(3,348 posts)Canajoharie, NY
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thanks! I was actually in Canajoharie many years ago, in upstate NY.
Igel
(35,390 posts)Quogue. Ronkonkoma. Patchogue. Happauge. Peconic. That's LI, for starters.
Hopatcong. Tewksbury. Neshanic. Passaic. Paramus. Wanaque. (N Jersey, pushing down into central Jersey)
Consider Chili, outside of Rochester, NY. It's pronounced not like the food, but with both syllables rhyming with "lie" or "lye": Chye-lye. SE there's Skeneateles, in the Finger Lakes region. The Clinton's home was there.
Oregon has the Siuslaw River, Tillamook of cheese fame, The Dalles, Philomath, Noti (as in "no tie" . "Philomath" is stressed on the middle syllable (there used to be a really bad late-night scary movie show 'based' there on some Eugene station).
Where I grew up there was the Patapsco River. Locals pronounced it "pah-tap-si-ko." That -psc- cluster was a bit much.
My current favorite is a berg just NE of Houston, Humble. No 'h', it's pronounced 'umble'.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I lived in North Jersey for awhile (long time ago) and I recognize at least some of these names. The Long Island names I'm not sure if I can pronounce correctly but they look really hard to spell. That's was I was looking for.
Thanks for the tip on the Oregan names too.
bobbieinok
(12,858 posts)SharonClark
(10,014 posts)Cracks me up.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)My grandson can already spell Nevada (the state) so I don't know if this one would be hard enough.
But thanks for playing.
forgotmylogin
(7,540 posts)Per HuffPo (sorry if this is repeat.)
10. Aquebogue, New York
Misspelled by 56 percent of people
9. Winnemucca, Nevada
Misspelled by 60 percent of people
8. Ketchikan, Alaska
Misspelled by 61 percent of people
7. Worcester, Massachusetts
Misspelled by 62 percent of people
6. Pflugerville, Texas
Misspelled by 63 percent of people
5. Champaign, Illinois
Misspelled by 63 percent of people
4. Skaneateles, New York
Misspelled by 67 percent of people
3. Saguache, Colorado
Misspelled by 68 percent of people
2. Kaumalapau, Hawaii
Misspelled by 69 percent of people
1. Meeteetse, Wyoming
Misspelled by 70 percent of people
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thank you
no_hypocrisy
(46,311 posts)Pronounced Doo-Kayne
Duquesne, Arizona, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, now a ghost town
Duquesne, Missouri, a village
Duquesne, Pennsylvania, a city named after Marquis Duquesne
Duquesne Heights, a section of Pittsburgh
Duquesne River, Grenada
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I live in Pittsburgh, and we have the town of Duquesne Heights, also Duquesne University is here.
However I'm not sure if my grandson knows this one, so it's going on my spelling list.
Thank you!
DUgosh
(3,059 posts)Because they are pronounced differently than they are spelled.
Boerne is pronounced Bur née & Manchaca is pronounced ManShack
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thanks for 2 good ones!
sl8
(14,016 posts)It's a location, but it may not be a town.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Can you tell me how to pronounce this?
or,
My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii
Song by Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West
I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines that I knew long ago
I can hear old guitars a playing, on the beach at Hoonaunau
I can hear the Hawaiians saying "Komomai no kaua ika hale welakahao"
It won't be long 'til my ship will be sailing back to Kona
A grand old place that's always fair to see
I'm just a little Hawaiian and a homeside Island boy
I want to go back to my fish and poi
I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii
Where the Humuhumu, Nukunuku a puaa goes swimming by
Where the Humuhumu, Nukunuku a puaa goes swimming by
I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines that I knew long ago
I can hear old guitars a playing, on the beach at Hoonaunau
I can hear the Hawaiians saying "Komomai no kaua ika hale welakahao"
It won't be long 'til my ship will be sailing back to Kona
A grand old place that's always fair to see
I'm just a little Hawaiian and a homeside Island boy
I want to go back to my fish and poi
I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii
Where the Humuhumu, Nukunuku a puaa goes swimming by
Songwriters: Bill Cogswell / Johnny Noble / Tommy Harrison / William Cogswell
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)It's an audio Daily Double
Glorfindel
(9,747 posts)and just for good measure, Dahlonega, Georgia.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I mean, how many aduls can spell these two towns? Not many!
Thanks for the great suggestions
NBachers
(17,187 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I can't believe how many great suggestions I'm getting. This is awesome!
spooky3
(34,527 posts)In college, I lived next to a music major, who was a big band fan; he used to play this a lot.
tazkcmo
(7,306 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)A tourist place, with no motor vehicles, during tourist season. Airplanes somehow exempted.
It's pronounced "Mackinaw" but spelled "Mackinac". A nice place to visit. There are some great little neighborhood places when one gets away from the tourist places. Search out where the locals go.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)...and it's going on my list. I've been to Mackinac Island, many moons ago.
Thanks
Leith
(7,814 posts)Michilimackinac
A few more that haven't been mentioned (this far as of this post)
Des Moines
Monongahela (river)
Mississauga, ON
Wwcd
(6,288 posts)Massapequa, New York
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)My grandson lives in New York and I'm wondering if maybe he knows this one. But I'm going to put it on my list anyway.
Thank you
Wwcd
(6,288 posts)10. Aquebogue, New York
Misspelled by 56 percent of people
9. Winnemucca, Nevada
Misspelled by 60 percent of people
8. Ketchikan, Alaska
Misspelled by 61 percent of people
7. Worcester, Massachusetts
Misspelled by 62 percent of people
6. Pflugerville, Texas
Misspelled by 63 percent of people
5. Champaign, Illinois
Misspelled by 63 percent of people
4. Skaneateles, New York
Misspelled by 67 percent of people
3. Saguache, Colorado
Misspelled by 68 percent of people
2. Kaumalapau, Hawaii
Misspelled by 69 percent of people
1. Meeteetse, Wyoming
Misspelled by 70 percent of people
sl8
(14,016 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I know how to pronounce these too because I used to live in upstate New York a long time ago.
SKAT-a-coke
cook-SOCK-ee
Thank you!
Wwcd
(6,288 posts)Now I know
I think the difficult names come from our Native language & also, cities in Hawaii are ones I will always double check.
Mortos
(2,391 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thanks!
redwitch
(14,954 posts)Pronounced scat ti coke.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Thanks for playing.
Tikki
(14,563 posts)Lots and lots of Native and Mexican Native language town names on the West Coast.
Tikki
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I hope I can pronounce these.
All good suggestions - thank you!
Tikki
(14,563 posts)Sounds like a great young man...Maybe he could look up where each of these towns
or cities are. Never know, he may visit some of them, someday.
Tikki
nocoincidences
(2,237 posts)Wachapreague
Poquoson
Nassawadox
Occoquan
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Or is this another Chappaquiddick? Thanks these are all good suggestions!
nocoincidences
(2,237 posts)It's sounds so much like the VA town names around me I just moved it here!
Motley13
(3,867 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Another Native American name.
doc03
(35,453 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)pronounced - YOCK-a-gay-nee
I have to look up Moxahala because I'm not familiar with that one.
Thank you
doc03
(35,453 posts)times every summer, beautiful river.
Tobin S.
(10,418 posts)FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)Too often I've seen it spelled "Cincinatti".
LOL - Thanks!
CincyDem
(6,419 posts)greymattermom
(5,754 posts)uppityperson
(115,681 posts)Skwim, ANN-ee-us, STILL-a-cum, pYoo-all-up, snow-kwal-mee. Aenas may be pronounced differently.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,036 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,169 posts)yankeepants
(1,979 posts)onlyadream
(2,168 posts)Hauppauge, /hawpog/
Patchogue, /Patchog/
catrose
(5,079 posts)Prounounced ChopiTOOlas
Thibodaux is a city in Louisiana, though. It's pronounced TibaDOH.
Hestia
(3,818 posts)justgamma
(3,667 posts)Ma-CO-ket-a pronunciation
UrbScotty
(23,980 posts)Pronounced "Sue Saint Marie."
And yes, the official name is Sault Ste. Marie, not Sault Sainte Marie. https://www.saultcity.com/city-charter
3catwoman3
(24,127 posts)For a semester, way back in 1983 (IIRC), I commuted from K.I. Sawyer AFB, outside of Marquette MI, where my husband was stationed, to Sault Ste. Marie to teach at Lake Superior State College in their nursing program. I'd go up on a Sunday, and they'd put me up in guest quarters on campus for 2 nights. Back I'd go on Tuesday after the second class.
A long lonely drive thru about 80 miles of nothing known as "the Seney stretch." If you'd go off the road, you could have been there for days without anyone driving by to notice.
Every Monday night, I'd drive across the bridge to the Canadian side to go shopping. No good shoppiing anywhere in the UP.
UrbScotty
(23,980 posts)We weren't allowed to go off-campus, but what we did see of the town was beautiful.
Hopefully this summer or next, I will be able to go back to the UP.
3catwoman3
(24,127 posts)I don't ever want to go back. The isolation was worse than the weather.
GeoWilliam750
(2,523 posts)cyclonefence
(4,483 posts)CottonBear
(21,598 posts)The tricky part is that Taliaferro is pronounced as "Tolliver."
http://taliaferrocountyga.org/index.php?page=taliaferro-county
WyLoochka
(1,629 posts)pronunciation makes no sense, toe'-ga-tee
but there you go.
LiberalLoner
(9,762 posts)sl8
(14,016 posts)Pronunciation guide (skip to 0:34):
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)I knew you wouldn't let me down.
Now I've got some real stumpers for my grandson, and it was great hearing from all of you. Some of these are a tad easy, and some are way too hard, but I appreciate everyone's help and input.
Happy BLUE Year everyone!
we can do it
(12,219 posts)Kirk Lover
(3,608 posts)can he pronounce it?
VMA131Marine
(4,159 posts)Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Kirk Lover
(3,608 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,501 posts)Pronounced Pah-doo-kah.
Native American heritage.
Hanging Limb, Tennessee would catch the kid's curiosity, LOL.
gopiscrap
(23,768 posts)Thunderbeast
(3,431 posts)Pronounced SKWIM and PUALUP.
Rhiannon12866
(206,853 posts)Since that was to be our new home, lots of history there. And there's also Schuylerville, another small town rich in Revolutionary War history. My grandmother was born there and my uncle couldn't spell it. I also got my dog in Poestenkill (Post-In-Kill). All are towns in New York.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)... it was many years ago when I lived in upstate New York. My son and I enjoyed the Lake George and southern Adirondack area, we usually went up a few times every summer. Lovely in the summer months but the winters are hard there.
Thanks for these suggestions.
applegrove
(118,915 posts)TuxedoKat
(3,818 posts)Pronounced "cook socky".
Challenge him to pronouce this one:
Ljubljana (Slovene: [ljuˈbljàːna], or lieu blee anna Slovenia
sakabatou
(42,204 posts)Hialeah, FL
Ilwaco, WA
Naugatauk, CT
Okeechobee, FL
Punxsutawney, PA
Schenectady, NY
Winnemucca, NV