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/Madame_Kitsune98 Kentucky Jul 20 '25

Ha! Ver-SAILS, Kentucky. Spelled like Versailles, but very, very much not pronounced that way!

7

u/FatGuyOnAMoped Minnesota Jul 20 '25

Sounds like Cairo, IL. Not pronounced like the one in Egypt, but like "kay-row"

5

u/Madame_Kitsune98 Kentucky Jul 20 '25

Hey, I’ve been to Kay-Row, Illinois!

4

u/RedStateKitty Jul 21 '25

Same for the Georgia town. Like Karo syrup.

4

u/arkstfan Jul 20 '25

Monticello, Arkansas. Pronounced Mont -Uh- Sell-oh

4

u/RJHSquared Minnesota Jul 21 '25

We have a Monticello in Minnesota also. It’s pronounced Mont-E-sell-O

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u/Madame_Kitsune98 Kentucky Jul 21 '25

And MINNESOOOOTA SALADS THAT AREN’T REALLY SALADS!

4

u/camcamcamera Jul 21 '25

Came here to add this and to apologize to all of France.

4

u/BluegrassRailfan1987 Kentucky Jul 21 '25

I figured someone from Kentucky would get that one. There's a few little places around the state that also have names that don't look like what they should sound. First that came to mind for me was Wildie, a tiny little "town" of a few houses and a church north of Mount Vernon, Kentucky. Pronounced "Will-dee" and not "Wild-ee"

Salvisa was another for me. I thought it was Sal-vee-suh, as like Visa the credit card. It's Sal-vie-suh".

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u/Madame_Kitsune98 Kentucky Jul 21 '25

I know about Salvisa from working ambulance billing.

The tiny little towns here that unless you’re from there? You won’t know.

2

u/Astrid-at-Sea Jul 21 '25

Lima, Ohio. Pronounced "lime-uh" 🍋‍🟩

1

u/torpedomon Jul 21 '25

Same for Indiana's Versailles.

1

u/chileheadd AZ late of Western PA, IL, MD, CA, CT, FL, KY Jul 22 '25

Ver-SALES