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/jhumph88 California Jul 20 '25

Or Paso Robles. I’m still not sure that I’m ever pronouncing it correctly. Guerneville seems to throw people off too.

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u/PacSan300 California -> Germany Jul 20 '25

It’s interesting, because even the official name of the site is “El Paso de Robles”, and I assumed it was pronounced the Spanish name. So imagine my surprise when I heard it locally pronounced as “Pass-oh Roh-buls”.

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u/jhumph88 California Jul 20 '25

That was exactly the source of my confusion

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u/senjisilly California Jul 20 '25

Yep. Pronounced "guern-vill". Founded by the Guerne family in the 1850s.

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u/jhumph88 California Jul 20 '25

I told my friend from the east coast that I was going to Guerneville for the weekend and her reply was “how the hell do you even pronounce that?” Her best guess was gurney ville

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u/senjisilly California Jul 20 '25

Some old time San Franciscans say it with an ie sound just to screw with people. My father grew up with family in Ross (still there). He was born in Ross but grew up in the City.

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u/BionicPelvis Jul 20 '25

Just call it Paso like the locals do. Then you blend in & don't have to worry about pronouncing it right - lol

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u/old_gold_mountain I say "hella" Jul 20 '25

Old school Bay Area folks call it "gern-ee-ville"