How Do You Pronounce These Places? Louisville, Lafayette, Cairo, & More

Analysis of places in the US that have different pronunciations depending on where in the country it is. Some are multiple locations, each with a different pronunciation, some are single locations with differing opinions on how to say them, and some are just hard to pronounce.
0:00 Intro
0:53 Multiple Cities with Same Name
2:28 Single Places with Differing Pronunciations
7:40 Louisville
8:46 States
10:24 Appalachian
10:55 My Wife's Very Short Cameo
11:46 Outro
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Album displayed:
Minutemen - "Double Nickels on the Dime" (1984)

[@gupoll]

Hi, I live near Cheesequake state park. Everybody here calls it the way you’d think it would be pronounced. In fact, the elementary (well former elementary school) in the town, Cheesequake Elementary, was also pronounced the way you’d think it would be pronounced. I guess technically yes that might be the actual spelling, but all the locals (me included) pronounce it Cheese-Quake. Have a good day y’all :)

[@MYVP.]

The former rest stop of the same name, I at least always pronounced that too as how it's spelled.

[@jamesbarrett9466]

Dave van Ronk had a song, The Garden State Stomp, whose lyrics consisted entirely of New Jersey town names, and he pronounces Cheesequake that way too.

[@colatf2]

I love that name, that is amazing.

[@kathleenhennessey5026]

Native New Jerseyan here and I have never, ever heard it pronounced any way other than Cheese-quake, just like it’s spelled.

[@KS-lp3ui]

I live near Cheesequake State Park as well and I confirm that the local pronunciation is Cheese-Quake. I have never ever heard it pronounced any other way. I'm intrigued by Kyle's "correct" pronunciation and will inquire at the visitor's center. Many other place names have morphed over time too, and the local pronunciation is now considered "correct." Why would Cheesequake be any different?

[@ELMS]

Whenever I visited my mom in Prescott, Arizona she went to great lengths to remind me the locals say ‘Press-KIT’.

[@joehouston1650]

I have to remember myself to pronounce it like that. I like to think of it similar to Triscuit (the crackers) to help me remember.

[@deborahmatatall]

This was a lot of fun! Very cool to have Geography Queen read the names. Your wife pronounces Lafayette exactly how the locals in Lafayette, Indiana say it.🌸

[@BS-vx8dg]

Indiana, where the South went North.

[@Steveofthejungle8]

Boiler up!

[@brianarbenz1329]

I’ve heard people in rural Indiana counties near Lafayette pronounce the city with a long A sound, like Lay-fee-yet. Rural midwesterners have said “Io-way” for Iowa, but that speaking style is a dying tradition.

[@scrivener6450]

Those mountains are universally called Appal8chian in north central Pennsylvania, where I grew up.

[@peterroberts4415]

I'm in Nova, and we generally call the mountains "Appal8chian", but when you talk about the region or someone that lives in the area, it's Appa"latch"an

[@chrisk5651]

The Appalachians extended beyond the South & Appalachia as a region (which suffers from poverty) also extends north into western/upstate New York so you can’t just say that the locals all say it one way!

[@UserName-ts3sp]

yeah. i have family from appalachian pennsylvania and they say it like kyle did before moving to SC

[@ornei2615]

Don't forget New England parts of eastern Canada too. I suspect you could find a 3rd local pronunciation in Quebec.

[@chrisk5651]

@@ornei2615 while there’s a mountain range called the Appalachians - there’s also a region called Appalachia which is based on economic and social factors that is not co-extensive with the mountains. So the guy in the video mentioned the socio-economic region and not the entire range of the mountains.

[@TheCriminalViolin]

But most people do not consider Appalachia to extend beyond the south. Thus how we got different names for the same range - Catskills, Adirondacks, etc. In fact, almost everybody, including the locals to places like New York do not refer to their part of the range as Appalachia, but rather Adirondacks (since that's their long standing, high-selling branding), or Catskills. And don't forget that the Appalachian Mountains in the south is also called and known as The Great Smoky Mountains, too, not just Appalachian Mountains. So for the range, it isn't as cut and dry and you're making it seem.

[@gator-tater9827]

@@TheCriminalViolinthis is just patently wrong. Pennsylvania is home to Appalachian Mountains, and Pittsburgh folks mostly use Kyle’s pronunciation. Also, the Great Smokies are a sub range of the Appalachians, not a name for the entire thing in the South.

[@auntietara]

Being a PNW native, it’s one of my great joys to hear people try to pronounce Puyallup, and i’m so happy you included it! Try not to look at the Y when you say it, because it will mess you up every time. It’s Pew, like you would say if something smells bad. Pew-ALL-up. Loved this content! So much fun!

[@pawpawthebeagle9442]

PNW native, but how local to that particular area are we talking? I lived in West Seattle all my life, now across the water in Port Orchard. It is not like you say “PewAllUp.” It is Pew, Al like the proper name/nickname, Up…”PewAlUp.” Don’t believe me? KZbin - Washington State Fair Commercial or Do the Puyallup…you’ll hear.

[@auntietara]

@@pawpawthebeagle9442 All around Puget Sound, 60 years.

[@clayton97330]

All over the pacific northwest you get great place names derived from native American words that outsiders can never pronounce.

[@Rich_N]

Born and raised here and I’ve never heard a local pronounce the middle “all”. I’ve only heard “Al”.

[@dhfenske]

@@kenlehigh6363 Do you pronounce the A with a short vowel sound like in "cat" and "hat", or do you say it like the words "all" and "recall"? I grew up in the Seattle area and I think I recall it usually having a short vowel sound like "cat" and "hat". But I imagine there are probably locals that pronounce it the other way, too. I think I've heard some of that. I've also heard the fun rendition "Pile-up"!

[@davezarvan]

To continue on with Boise, there is a city in the Oklahoma Panhandle called Boise City, but it is pronounced like "Boyce" there. And a nickname for Regina is "The City that Rhymes with Fun"

[@BS-vx8dg]

What a great idea for a video. My favorite part was your wife's pronunciation of "Iowa". I replayed her saying "Iowa" about five times before writing this comment. It was totally unique; smooth like a butter rum candy. You could easily do a sequel or something similar. My suggestion is for a video on small places with pronunciations that no one not from there could ever guess. For starters you could use "San Jose, Illinois". Kyle, I kid you not, the folks there pronounce it "San Jose", just as it's spelled, with "Jose" pronounced as a single syllable, rhyming with "hose", except they don't do the Spanish "j", they pronounce it like the "j" in "jump". A really cool idea (that would take a long time to produce) would be to get a list of such towns, *and then to go visit them and ask the denizens how they pronounce their town* . It'd be wonderful.

[@SpencerTwiddy]

That’s how my mom says it too. We’re from North Carolina, which she pronounces “Care-uh-LAH-nuh”

[@brianarbenz1329]

You’d be blown away by how people in Peru, Iowa pronounce their town. It’s PEE-ru.

[@BS-vx8dg]

@@brianarbenz1329 I love it. There's a "Peru" in Illinois as well, but unlike the San Joseians, the Peruvians in Illinois use the expected pronunciation. Pee-ru. That's is hilarious.

[@UltraMasterSword]

Gotta be honest, coming from Appalachian Pennsylvania and frequently visiting Appalachian Maryland and West Virginia, I've always heard appa-LAY-shin.

[@spencersandberg7753]

Is it a southern Vs northern thing then? Coming from upstate NY and New England I’ve always heard the AY pronunciation too but a friend from Tennessee was the first to correct me

[@everydayispoetry]

Also from SW PA (which is definitely part of Appalachia) and also say appa-LAY-shin. Note that the "ch" takes the unvoiced "sh" sound.

[@traceteleskis7099]

As a Southern Utah local, I appreciate you throwing in the correct pronunciation of Zion!!!

[@jeremiahallyn4603]

I'm from Kentucky and have always heard Louisville pronounced, Lou-a-vull. I couldn't care less how people say it though, lol. We also have Versailles, pronounced Ver-Sales.

[@cindyd8646]

I am a native Missourian, and I never heard anything except Miisourah until I was an adult and moved away. I moved to "Colo-RAD-oh", (not Colo-RHA-do......too affected) where there is a town between Denver and Boulder pronounced (always) as "Louis-ville"...no contractions or slurred vowels. I now live in Washington (not WARSHington) state, not too far from Puyallup (Pyoo-al-up). After you say it a few times you get used to it! Thanks for a very interesting video!

[@BS-vx8dg]

I'm reminded of the very first geography joke I ever heard, many years ago. "How do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky, Loo-ee-ville or Lewis-ville?" After the person gives their opinion, you say, "Frankfort". Now no one who subscribes to Geography King would be fooled by that one, but to an elementary school student in the 1960s, I thought it was funny.

[@autonomouscollective2599]

Yeah, I pulled that one on my sister back in the 60’s. The look on her face was priceless!

[@brendan5235]

I'm surprised you didn't mention Mobile. A lot of friends from other cities say "moh-bul" like mobile home, "MOH-beel" with the emphasis on the first part, or even "moh-byle", when the actual pronunciation is "moh-BEEL", like in automobile.

[@FrenchArrogance]

As a lifelong Seattleite: For Puyallup, they have a big fairgrounds there and if you search up Do The Puyallup there's a song for their commercials, and it's identical to how I've pronounced it all my life. My parents lived in New Orleans until couple months before I was born, and the way your wife pronounced it is exactly how I'm accustomed to them saying it. Have relatives in Miami OK and they pronounce it just like you did, and they pronounce Missouri ending in the "uh" instead of "ee" as well. I was trying to pronounce things in my head right before you were saying them and we basically always matched including Lancaster. (Edit: Well I say it like the Californian way and I mistakenly assumed that's how you said it but re-watching I realized just pointing out the difference state-to-state)

[@TheCriminalViolin]

I love that I've always said it correctly despite not actually knowing for sure. I just confidently felt I was saying it right the entire time. Pew-all-up. Its weirdly easy despite English speaking tongues wanting to fight being used in such a way haha. I am a life-long Oregonian from the westside of the Portland area myself.

[@silliaek]

We have a Berlin in Connecticut as well. What I've been told is that it was pronounced like the city in Germany until World War 1, when the locals changed it to disassociate.

[@GhostMop]

Wuh-stah, for Worcester, MA 😊

[@silliaek]

In between an uh and an oo

[@HHSEAWAUSA]

Howdy Kyle, thanks for the shout out my my town of residence, Puyallup, WA! To pronounce the name, I tell people to switch the 'U' with the 'Y'. You did alright pronoucing 'Puyallup' on your video!

[@DrawingRoomDraftingBoard]

Howdy, Kyle. Southwest of Augusta (where I grew up) is the town of Louisville, where two major US routes converge, so the name comes up often enough. It's pronounced Lewis-ville. And when I moved to Chicago in the mid-1980s, I was quickly disabused of that pronunciation--I sounded (even more) like a rube. So now, whenever I'm home, I call it the way the city in Kentucky is pronounced, and I catch grief about pronouncing the Georgia town the same way as the Kentucky one. It's something I have to be mindful of because, down there, I sound (even more) like a yamn dankee.

[@brianarbenz1329]

You really did your homework on the multitude of ways to pronounce our city -Louisville, aka Louavul, Lou-we-vul, and even “Lovell,” as in the Apollo 13 commander. The city was settled by waves of: 1) Cumberland Gap travelers, 2) Middle class entrepreneurs coming down the river from the northeast, 3) African-Americans coming up from the Deep South, 4) German and Irish immigrants. Each brought their own linguistic background to the pronunciation of the city’s name.

[@JAllenIsaac]

Great content as always. And now i’m on a MM, The Residents, and Gang of Four playlist.

[@outbackigloo6489]

I live in Connecticut, which the Appalachian Trail goes through. I pronounce it \appa-LAY-shin\ and that’s how I’ve heard it pronounced.

[@markwilson2992]

And this video is why I subscribe to and love your videos. Not something I woulda thought about but loved it!

[@edturner1267]

I ran across this working in Martinez, CA (Mar-TEEN-ez, like martini) when a woman called from Martinez, GA (MAR-tin-ez, like the name Martin-ez). It was kinda cute the way she insisted Californians pronounced Martinez incorrectly when it's just regional variation.

[@DrawingRoomDraftingBoard]

For SURE. Georgians must have this thing about pronouncing names differently. I had just commented above on how another town also near Augusta (Louisville) that pronounces the name as Lewis-ville. Also near Augusta is the county of Taliaferro. Let's hear you try to pronounce THAT, Kyle. (It's pronounced as Tolliver.)

[@GraveDohl666]

Great album by the Minutemen!

[@mrtveenstra]

Tourism Regina were in hot water recently when they used the slogan: The city that rhymes with fun

[@andychase7693]

I think you are correct to defer to the local pronunciation. My brother used to live in Shelbyville, TN, and he was talking to an older gentleman in town and my brother mentioned "Shel-bee-ville", and the old man said, "Son, if you're gonna live here, you're gonna need to know how to pronounce it right." And so my brother asked him, "Okay, how should I pronounce it?" The old fellow asked him, "What do you use to dig?" And my brother replied, "A shovel?" And the old man replied, "That's right. Thats how you pronounce it, "Shovel."

[@helenh6442]

I'm from NJ and I have never heard Cheesequake pronounced any other way than what it looks like. Good video.

[@KS-lp3ui]

Same. I live nearby and everyone says Cheese-Quake.

[@stacistein702]

Best video yet! As a native South Carolinian, I agree with your wife's pronunciations 100%. All of my friends from Colorado pronounce their state as Col-o-RAD-o with a hard, long a sound. It bugs me, but that's how it is.

[@geraldmeehan8942]

Thank you for the Louisville commentary. I live right across the river in Clark county, Indiana

[@user-ld4xx1el6q]

Thank you! This is the almost the first one of my subscriptions I have watched tonight that did not leave me offended.

[@kavanloughlin7643]

Kyle, your videos hold attention so well. Like a movie you're into and just can't wait for what's next.

[@user-gf3lw5pi4t]

Another great production, keep them coming ❤

[@StamfordBridge]

Houston (yes, pronounced how-ston) is not a city in New York, as far as I know, but a well known street in New York City. In fact, it’s the “ho” in Soho and Noho, etc.

[@R32R38]

It's where the numbered Manhattan street grid begins. If it had a number it would be 0 Street.

[@StamfordBridge]

@@R32R38 True. And it’s my work address!

[@newalch]

Your take on Missouri is spot on. My mom is from Missouri and pronounces it Missoura and I grew up in the house with her and lived in the state until I was 8 and have always said Missouri. All my farming family says Missoura and my city family says Missouri.

[@alastairdallas]

@3:50 - New Jesery. In case you thought we weren't paying attention.

[@KS-lp3ui]

I was and I saw!

[@michael0.770]

Hi Kyle-l grew up in Delaware. Thanks for differentiating between the Newarks in Jersey and Delaware. I recall that some people in Delaware pronounced Delawhere like Delawere. I also remember people in Pennsylvania dropping the L when they pronounced the name of their state, like Pennsuhvania. Thanks for a fun video!

[@duanewhitacre5995]

Nerk, Ahia

[@1776SOL]

Yep, wife went to UDel & we both worked in northern Delaware for years. The mispronunciation really gives some folks in Delaware a real complex.

[@Aidan_Au]

Thanks Kyle for cover these interesting Pronunciations. Kyle, would you please make more videos on the City Profile and State Profile? I do find those videos very helpful! I'd like to hear you talk about the Twin Cities - St Paul or Minneapolis

[@tonyb92681]

What a great video to get EVERYONE fighting with each other! Lancaster, PA is pronounced LANG-kiss-ter. There is also a Lancaster in California. Also: personal commentary: -Wilkes-berry -Detroit in the original French: DAY-twah…

[@carnakthemagnificent336]

One of your best, Mr Kyle. Gracias.

[@strange_air]

Great video. Also Double Nickels on the Dime is one of my all time favorites!

[@muenchhausenmusic]

I honestly didn't expect too much from this video, especially with me being German and not being embroiled in these localpronunciation debates, haha! But I did find the video surprisingly enjoyable! I especially liked how Missouri from your wife's mouth basically sounds like misery XDDD Lends a whole new perspective on this Maroon 5 song where he goes "I am in Missouri!!" XDDDDDD Cheers and thanks!

[@Compucles]

During the summer, it *is* misery.

[@Turdfergusen382]

Many towns and cities have accents and pronunciations that are unique and even hard to guess. I believe this has developed as a means of distinguishing outsiders quickly in conversations.

[@BS-vx8dg]

shibboleths

[@Turdfergusen382]

@@BS-vx8dg Nice. I have thought about this after traveling all over the us and seeing first hand. Never had a word for it until now though. Thank you.

[@champ1061]

Best episode ever. Going to take my broken wings and learn to watch this one again.

[@spencersandberg7753]

I’m from Syracuse NY and I say the first syllable like it rhymes with “bear” rather than “deer”. Definitely heard it both ways and no one seemed to mind until I moved away. Now lots of people tell me I’m pronouncing it wrong 😂

[@mattgoettl6796]

Great topic, very fun! When my wife from the south first visited my home state of Minnesota, she was thrown off by all the place names with Native American origin. Dig into some of the interesting place names up north for more content!

[@silverxstar01]

Another great video from the Geography King! The way your wife says Iowa is great. As for Newark, NJ, some people (usually older folks who grew up in the area) will pronounce it as “nork”.

[@willridgway2513]

Hey GeoKing, I'm from the KC suburbs. Although Mih-ZUR-ee is proper English, Mih-ZUR-ah is proper 'Murcan. To figure which you should use consider if you like: -smell of diesel -sound of gun fire -taste of Busch -feel of caught fish -sight of bald eagle

[@baseballfan99]

In the UK we have our fair share of places with similar incorrect pronunciations. There are ones that are spelt differently to how they sound such as Leominster in Herefordshire pronounced as Lemster, Slaithwaite, in West Yorkshire pronounced as Slawit or Sla-thwayt and Hawick innScotlandpronounced as Hoik. There are several where locals pronounce it differently to how most people say it. Redcar in North Yorkshire is Redca, or Newcastle in the Northeast is Nu-castle with a short a sound. There are many more particularly in Wales and Scotland due to routes in the Welsh and Gaelic languages respectively.

[@StalkaztheStallion]

As someone who lives close to Lancaster, PA, I can say that Kyle nailed the pronunciation!

[@kindredspiritbaseballmom7913]

Love this! Originally from Syracuse and you are spot on. I pronounce it "Saracuse", sometimes the other way, too.

[@ecurewitz]

Even though Worcester was covered, a lot of people can’t pronounce these Massachusetts place names: Woburn, Billerica, Cochituate, Gloucester, Natick (where I was born) , Leicester, Scituate, Peabody, and Leominster

[@stephengreen6497]

I’ve been to Puyallup mini times. It’s where the state fair is. I hadn’t thought much about how you say it. Best description I guess would be pew like you sit on in church, plus y’all, like they say in the South , plus up. The trick is saying the first two syllables together so quickly that it’s almost like one syllable.

[@briancole1950]

That was pretty interesting. There is a Lancaster NY as well, and your wife's pronunciation was exactly how we say it up north.

[@onedollah49]

May I suggest to all other fans of the channel, please comment to boast this man’s excellent work.

[@thekenneth3486]

You missed one my favorites-- it's pretty small, so not too surprising. Stopping in the town of Buena Vista, Colorado, I pronounced it close to the Spanish way, Bwaina Vista. The shop girl gave me a belligerent glare: "It's Byoona Vista." 😑

[@auntietara]

One of my favorites!

[@cmaginnis13]

Growing up in Maryland and spending lots of time in the northern Appalachians, we never pronounced it as you said the right way is. I think that's a north/south divide.

[@orangeyewglad]

You rock dude, always love a new upload from you!

[@normanupton509]

Glad you mentioned Lancaster. Waiting for Wotown ('Worcester, Massachusetts) "Wooster"

[@sandrakenny6477]

Thanks for another great video!

[@daejeon0607]

Another one, where I used to live, is Calais, Maine, which the locals call CA-lus. I personally think Ca-LAY sounds much better, but perhaps it represents the ongoing rivalry between Anglophones and Francophones, especially there on the Canadian border.

[@jeffcombs1238]

I can hear the announcements from the Calais Walmart right now in my head.

[@jcoolguy1548]

When I first read it, I pronounced it like Cal-eye-us

[@DuckOfRubber]

I’m originally from Lafayette, Indiana, and your wife’s pronunciation is perfect. Soft A in La, then the ay is pronounced as a hard E.

[@Milther2]

Loved this video! Been playing a lot of hugequiz USA geography lately, and hearing the correcrt pronunciation compared to the one in my head, it has me lmao! Thanks for some fun!

[@daejeon0607]

Another place you might be interested in is Vienna, Illinois. I went there in 2017 to see the total solar eclipse. The locals corrected me on KZbin, telling me it was pronounced VAI-enna (rhymes with Hi Emma). It was natural to pronounce it like the Austrian capital Vee-ENNA.

[@peterroberts4415]

Very interesting. Just outside of DC is a suburb called Vienna and it's pronounced the same way as the Austrian city. Although in Austria, Vienna is Wien and sounds like "veen"

[@KBHNJ]

Lifelong NJ resident here, Newark NJ is pronounced Nork and we do say Cheese-quake 🤓 this was a fun video 😁

[@bustorobusto6316]

I was glad to see Worcester, MA in there. Most call it Woostur but it sounds like Whister because of the Boston accent. Keep it up almighty king 🤴

[@RLJSlick]

Great video as always. Here are two of many names hard to pronounce here in Wisconsin: Ashwaubenon and Weyauwega.

[@vhhawk]

My students from Missouri trained me to pronounce it as Misery. Cannot unhear it now.

[@jabekens]

Never grew up in Norfolk, but much of my family has been there and in Virginia Beach back and forth for ~100 years, and whenever I spent time with them they always said "naw" instead of "nor" - maybe that's just the Tidewater accent, but I've heard that much more than the pronunciation you gave in the video

[@kenaikuskokwim9694]

Oneonta, N.Y., which may be etymologically related, shows the same phenomenon as Toronto-- the T disappears with locals. The first O is long, but I was told the Alabama town (named by railroad baron Henry Huntington for his hometown) uses a short O. Henry left a few Oneontas in California, too.

[@Camboninja94]

The mentioning of Puyallup's pronunciation made me giggle. I'm a Washingtonian and it's kind of known as one of the first things you'll teach anyone who is visiting or moving in. Your pronunciation was pretty spot-on. I guess the best way I could write it out is to say it's "pew-all" (like a church pew) followed by an "up" or "ip" depending on who's speaking. I myself have literally wondered since childhood and continue wondering why it was decided to place the "Y" AFTER the "U" by whoever anglicized a native name.😂😂

[@-Vannah-]

The comment about Wilkes-Barre having multiple local pronunciation reminded me about my home county (Vigo). And then also there’s my hometown Terre Haute and we’ve heard so many wrong pronunciations. And as a bonus, I’ll also share the local pronunciation of Wabash, which throws a light L in there, so for years I thought it was spelled Walbash.

[@andrewmaiewski4743]

You need to play the fun game us New Englanders, specifically Boston / Mainers, like to play with people from other parts of the country. "Pronounce the name of this Mass / New England town."

[@aubreyshumpert4113]

Thank you for clarifying the correct pronunciation of Appalachia. Having grown up in the Blue Ridge Mountains in NC, I can definitely confirm that no-one pronounces it like "Appa-LAY-chia". I can understand why people that aren't from here might pronounce it like that, but it is nice to hear when people pronounce it correctly😂. Keep up the great content, Kyle👍.

[@isaacmarmolejo694]

Darn fun playing along! SoCal viewer that lives somewhat near Lancaster, did NOT even consider another pronunciation! Darn American English will surprise you every time!

[@rogerpenske2411]

Another fine video my friend!

[@missmercedes_b]

i’ve lived in downstate illinois my whole life & specifically in southern illinois for my whole adult life & i’ve only ever said or heard cairo (as in cairo, il) pronounced the way you pronounced it for the city in georgia

[@UsefulFarmer349]

Concord, NC is pronounced very differently than Concord, CA. After moving out to California that from the mountains of NC was a surprise. I have met many people from the Appalachians up in Maine, NH, NY, PA and such who pronounce it with a hard A, so I always thought it was a north south thing. I will always pronounce it like a southerner though, growing up in the mountains of NC and going to Appalachian State.

[@stuartminkus4318]

As a rural Kentuckian who lives near the TN line and has my entire life I can tell you how the vast majority of generational rural Kentuckians pronounce some of these towns. Louisville = “Loull-vul”. Lafayette (as in Lafayette Tennessee) = “Luh-fette”. Versailles (as in Versailles KY) = “Vur-sells”. I automatically pronounce these specific towns these particular ways to prevent confusion or to refrain from being seen as pretentious (ha), but any other state that has these town names, I pronounce them as they actually are.

[@wanderinggentile]

Awl-buh-knee (Albany), New York All-binny (Albany), Georgia

[@jeffelkins426]

I work in Lancaster SC. I hear both here. After all, there are a lot of northerners moving here. I myself came from the Idaho/Washington border. Some of the names in that area are doozies. Coeur D'Alene, Pend Orille, Moscow etc.

[@markvolpe2305]

There's also a Lancaster, NY too!

[@michael7054]

Great video and interesting video! I really enjoyed watching! I remember Snookie from Jersey Shore being from Poohkeepsie. I think I remember someone from the Real World on MTV being from Puyallup Washington. Real World Chicago maybe.

[@garymoon2829]

What an interesting topic for a video! Good work, and thanks for the education. I live in the California foothills, specifically nuh VAA duh (Nevada) county, though I often hear nuh vah da from locals. Either one gets the message across. I'd guess that locals are about evenly split, but now I'm going to have to pay closer attention! And I guess I'll need to replay this video to check my pronunciation on some of the others you addressed. At least I'm sure about OR eh gun. I like "Geography Queen's" voice, no matter how she pronounces place names! Please invite her to join in more often!

[@EdHelms1]

Thanks for another interesting video. I enjoy how there are some cases where a name can be pronounced one way or another, other cases where is it location dependent and finally cases where the “other” pronunciations are just wrong. I am from SC and would be interested in knowing how your wife pronounces the town of Clinton. Most people I know drop the “t” and say it “Clinnon”

[@DevonEckhardt]

Super fun! The state of Michigan could have a video all of its own going over its numerous Americanized French cities. Mackinac, Grosse Ile, Sault Ste. Marie, Gratiot… the list goes on!

[@outbackigloo6489]

Isn’t it Sault Ste. Marie?

[@joelb8653]

Charlotte and Pompeii too.

[@cat-uu3gn]

@@outbackigloo6489 yes, also called Soo.

[@jimgreen5788]

@DevonEckhardt, actually, in MI, it's Sault (French for Falls) St. Marie, with the nearby Soo Locks, and Sioux Falls, SD, plus Sioux City, IA.

[@cat-uu3gn]

@@jimgreen5788 are you a yooper?

[@katykwasny1951]

Loved this video, man. I grew up in south central Ohio and have since lived many years in the upper Midwest (mostly Wisconsin) and this sort of thing is one of me favorite debates with folks here, when I'm not squabbling over the whole bubbler vs water fountain thing. That said, I have only recently learned that most folks pronounce "Appalacian" as appl-Ah-chen rather than appl-AY-chin....I could damn near piss into those mountains from my home growing up and I never knew I was pronouncing it wrong!

[@retrocryptid9892]

There's a Detroit, Texas between Paris and New Boston. The locals definitely emphasize the first syllable like DEE-troyt.

[@Stephanie-oo9ct]

Here's one that's often overlooked: It's weird when people pronounce the "i" in FL. We pronounce it "flor-duh" not "flor-i-duh" or the very New York "flah-ri-duh".

[@jrunn93]

Good stuff as usual, Kyle

[@elaineolson550]

Hey Kyle-interesting video! From New Mexico, I live in Albuquerque and over the mountains is the little town of Madrid, pronounced unlike the city in Spain but instead Maaa-drid…. I’m sure there are lots of teeny towns like this. Very interesting to hear your wife pronounce “Nevada” the way my cousin from Florida does. Different from us Westerners 😊

[@BS-vx8dg]

My experience with Madrid, NM, from actually stopping in the town and asking, is that the locals are split about 50-50 in the pronunciations. Very frustrating, as I was looking for a definitive answer.

[@elaineolson550]

@@BS-vx8dg oh that’s interesting! I thought it was a settled question…. I wonder who/why/when it’s pronounced the two ways? Thanks for the comment.

[@MHep-qy9yv]

Great topic!!

[@MillerMeteor74]

We have a Lafayette in New Jersey, up in Sussex County. As far as I know it's pronounced the way they do in Louisiana. We also have a Berlin, in Camden County, and it's pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable. As for Cheesequake State Park, the pronunciation you say is correct is one that I've never heard. But I don't live near there, so I don't know firsthand how locals pronounce it. We have a Newfoundland in Passaic County, and as far as I know it is pronounced with the emphasis on "found". As for Wilkes-Barre, I never knew for sure how to pronounce it. As for Worcester, MA, I always thought the locals pronounced it with the "or" rhyming with the "oo" in wood, like "wooster". Okay, here's one not mentioned: In Atlantic County, NJ we have a Buena and a Buena Vista. Buena is pronounced like "Bewna". Meanwhile, I had a friend (RIP) who pronounced it "Boina", but she was quite eccentric, so it didn't surprise me. I believe there is a Buena Park in California, but I have no idea how they pronounce it there.

[@BMWE90HQ]

I live in Lancaster county and the pronunciation varies across the county. In the more urban northern part of the county, Indian Land, people are almost all people say it the way your wife did (Indian Land is almost exclusively populated by Californians and New Yorkers). In the remaining 90% of the county the actual locals say it the way you did. I adjust the way I pronounce it based on who I’m talking to.

[@tia2073]

I like how your wife says Iowa too, loved the vid!

[@losteyesight]

I'm from New Jersey and EVERYBODY calls is CHEESE QUAKE state park, I've never even hear ANY other pronunciation until this video.

[@KS-lp3ui]

I concur 100%.

[@misterenergy959]

Our middle son lived in Lafayette , CO and my youngest son lives closest to LaFayette. I have been to both in the last 8 days!

[@og_tc]

In Florida, the -ville ending is always pronounced 'vill'. Maybe in the upper panhandle some folks may use 'vul', but anywhere east or south of Tallahassee it's 'vil' from both natives and transplants alike

[@stantheman9072]

As a Kentucky native with family going back to the pioneer era, and myself a 60-plus-year resident of the Commonwealth, I can definitively say most of the still (mostly) rural state calls the city LOU-Ah-Vuhl. It’s never been my home, but I had a few relatives there and visited often over the years. As cities go these days, it’s not terrible. Most non-Kentuckians think it’s the state capital.

[@pepintheshort7913]

During the pandemic I had to do a lot of driving around Wilkes-Barre. Occasionally the Maps app I was using would pronounce it “Wilkes…Bar?”, with a questioning intonation.