Native pronunciation of foreign cities and countries--obnoxious or just correct? (county, to work)

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed

Do the locals say it "or-i-gin" with a hard g and "will-AH-mit" Valley?

Just like "Organ", but with a hint of a vowel in between the R and G. And, wi-LAMM-it, as in "lamb".

[theunbrainwashed]

Originally Posted by Deezus

I don't know...we're too "water-logged" down here.

Is Pennsylvania prounounced "Pin-sil-vanya?"

Depends if you're a hick from the middle it's Pin-sil-vanya. If you're a normal person like moi, it's pen-sil-vay-nia. If yous from.......Philly....it's pen-sil-vay-nyeh (they also say silly things like crick wooder instead of creek water, at least they're not like the Pittsburghers with their pop and shopping buggies ). You know I just checked your weather forecast and yinz (that's another Pittsburghese word) are getting a hell lot more sunshine than we are

Originally Posted by jtur88

Just like "Organ", but with a hint of a vowel in between the R and G. And, wi-LAMM-it, as in "lamb".

Yeah that's how I learned to pronounce it. Always said it like that but I've heard a lot of people say or-eh-gaaahn as well.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed

Depends if you're a hick from the middle it's Pin-sil-vanya. If you're a normal person like moi, it's pen-sil-vay-nia. If yous from.......Philly....it's pen-sil-vay-nyeh (they also say silly things like crick wooder instead of creek water, at least they're not like the Pittsburghers with their pop and shopping buggies ). You know I just checked your weather forecast and yinz (that's another Pittsburghese word) are getting a hell lot more sunshine than we are

Berlitz could basically put out their own phrase book just for Pittsburgh...

I'd be curious what the Pittsburghers call Florence.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Berlitz could basically put out their own phrase book just for Pittsburgh...

Their baseball team is the Paah-erts.

There was once a good phrase book of Oklahoma. One I remember is "Bob wore faints", which keeps the cows off the road. And "Chick at all", which is what the gas station attendant asks you.

Spoiler

For those who are stumped, it's "Pirates", "Barbed wire fence" and "Check that oil?"

[theunbrainwashed]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Berlitz could basically put out their own phrase book just for Pittsburgh...

I'd be curious what the Pittsburghers call Florence.

Oh definitely I was friends with a guy from Plum, which is northeast of Pittsburgh, he had the strangest accent, stronger than what you'd hear from the average Pittsburgher. I'd make fun of him all the time for it, he made fun of mine as well it was all in good fun.

Probably Flornce Who knows what they are capable of

[dunno what to put here]

Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed

That's what I thought, too. I'm guessing the same goes for Peterborough (Peter-bre)? Apparently, it was supposed to be originally called Pitts-bruh because the burgh is the same like in Edinburgh especially since the city was named after a Brit, William Pitt, but the "burg" just stuck.

But, the names that I say like Derby and Birmingham, I always get ribbed for it because I pronounce them in a very "American way" (Dur-bee and Bur-ming-ham instead of Bur-mingam).

Yes. I usually pronounce it as Peter-bere, but exactly the same applies in all places with borough, and even burgh (Ed-in-bu-re or Edin-bruh are both acceptable).

And yeah, Derby is Darby and the H is Birmingham is almost never pronounced.

[Captain_Fingers]

Originally Posted by dunno what to put here

And yeah, Derby is Darby and the H is Birmingham is almost never pronounced.

Unless, of course, you're in Alabama and love the Guv'nor...

On a parallel note, I once met a Brit who pronounced Berkeley "Barkley".

[dunno what to put here]

There is actually a town in Gloucestershire called Berkeley that is pronounced Bark-lee, and Berkeley Square in London is pronounced the same way, so that's probably why.

[sanfel]

As for Barcelona, the majority of Spaniards pronounce it Barthelona, but Catalans themselves pronounce it Barselona, like we do in Latin America, and in the rest of the world.

[dizzybint]

Americans sometimes say Edinburg.... or Edinboro..but no harm done..no one outside of Glasgow can pronounce Milngavie...now that is a strange one...