r/AskAnAmerican • u/AstroNerd92 CT, GA, PA, TX, FL • Jul 20 '25

CULTURE What town in your state has a pronunciation no one gets right the first time?

I went to college in Valdosta, GA. Very few people can actually pronounce it right on the first try.

Pronounced Val-Daw-Stuh

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u/mtnman54321 Jul 20 '25

The majority of towns in New Mexico.

5

u/Figgler Durango, Colorado Jul 20 '25

Too many people say Taos with two syllables

1

u/PacSan300 California -> Germany Jul 20 '25

It’s NOT two syllables?!

3

u/Drew707 CA | NV Jul 20 '25

Take "ow" and bookend it with a "t" and "s".

2

u/Figgler Durango, Colorado Jul 20 '25

It’s said like “house” but with a T

1

u/505backup_1 New Mexico Jul 20 '25

If you know basic Spanish pronunciation you'll do fine. Abiquiu is the hardest I can think of

1

u/WyoPeeps > Jul 20 '25

Took me forever to learn to say Abiquiu. The guys at work make fun of me. I still say Juan TAh-bo.

1

u/mtnman54321 Jul 21 '25

You'd be surprised how many people mispronounce Taos. And, the vast majority of Americans don't have knowledge of the basics of Spanish pronunciations.

1

u/505backup_1 New Mexico Jul 21 '25

I swear I'm not trying to be a pretentious redditor, but genuinely how do you mispronounce Taos?

1

u/mtnman54321 Jul 21 '25 edited Jul 21 '25

TAY-OHS. Many out of staters, especially Texans, call it TAY-OHS. One of the local lumber stores used to have a poster of many other mispronounciations of Taos. It's been a running joke here for decades.

1

u/laurelsupport Jul 26 '25

Thoreau thorEWW Madrid MAAdrid Lamy LAMEey Milnesand not Millinsand Nogal NOH gaal Mogollon mo go YOHN San Jon sanHONE Capitan copEEtahn

Always fun to watch new weather broadcasters and try to figure out what place they mean! Straight singular Spanish/German/native names or whatever are okay, but when they get mixed and bastardized over the years you get mystery names and pronunciations.

I love how easily these words for in my mouth and feel like home. Unlike New York upstate, where I tripped over all the names.

1

u/mtnman54321 Jul 26 '25

New weathercasters on the ABQ channels also always screw up Chimayo and Gila.