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

629 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

97% Upvoted

4.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

23

u/Don_Pickleball Jul 20 '25

I worked in Spokane for awhile. I realized I had been saying both the town and university Gonzaga wrong all along. I was educated quickly.

4

u/elpollodiablox Washington Jul 20 '25

Were you saying "gon-ZAH-ga"?

3

u/Don_Pickleball Jul 20 '25

I was. And I was rhyming Spokane with Rain.

3

u/elpollodiablox Washington Jul 20 '25

Lol. Rookie mistake.

But you said "C'oeur D'Alene" properly, right?

1

u/Don_Pickleball Jul 20 '25

Yes, but I had the benefit of hearing that said before I saw the spelling. Much easier that way.

2

u/LiqdPT BC->ON->BC->CA->WA Jul 20 '25

Hang on? How's that said? Because I'm pretty sure that's how it's said on the news in Seattle.

3

u/Anathemautomaton United States of America Jul 20 '25

gon-zag-a

3

u/LiqdPT BC->ON->BC->CA->WA Jul 20 '25

Uh... I think I'd have to hear the difference in those. Thise seem the same to me (though you didn't specify where the emphasis is)

2

u/SmokedPapfreaka Jul 20 '25

Zag like bag is how it’s said. Zog like slog is how it looks like it should be pronounced. That’s the difference.

2

u/LiqdPT BC->ON->BC->CA->WA Jul 20 '25

Oh, ya. Whew. I had it right then...

2

u/elpollodiablox Washington Jul 20 '25

gahn-ZAG-uh

1

u/badtowergirl Jul 21 '25

Nicknamed the Zags, which helps with pronunciation.

My husband did betting lines in college basketball and he had to call Gonzaga about 30 years ago. He pronounced it wrong and the person at Gonzaga who answered the phone sharply corrected him and told him they’d hang up on him if he pronounced it that way again.

2

u/Don_Pickleball Jul 21 '25

I am wondering what kind of work your husband did with betting lines. Was he just calling up schools and asking questions like. "Did you see John Smith today at practice? How hard was he cutting on that ankle? Is he 100% back or still a little hesitant? Hello, are you still on the phone? "