Trivia: Place names that you're not sure how to pronounce

[hexagon789]

"Wic(h)" place names can come from Norse, Anglo-Saxon or Latin with different derivations.

From similar roots presumably?

With similar meanings.

 

[krus_aragon]

Beddau: which many people (myself included, for a while!) pronounce it as 'Bed-Eye' or 'Bed-ow' (same as cow). It is in fact pronounced 'Bay-ther'.

I'd pronounce it something closer to "Beth-eye" myself (with the 'th' sound as in "this" , not "thing" ), but that's coming from a North Walian who's not yet had occasion to visit that town. The rest of your list all look familiar to me as local (or somewhat Anglicised) pronunciations that I've encountered, even if I wouldn't normally use that pronunciation myself.

(In other words, I tend to pronounce Welsh placenames as if speaking in Welsh, and through my own local accent, with very few exceptions.)

 

[Bobdogs]

Don't know if this has been mentioned before. Could someone explain why Cathays is pronounced Curtoys? A station near Cardiff.

 

[PeterC]

From similar roots presumably?

With similar meanings.

Totally different roots and meanings. Could mean a market or a dairy for example.

 

[hexagon789]

Totally different roots and meanings. Could mean a market or a dairy for example.

For the "wic" in Norwich?

 

[Esker-pades]

Don't know if this has been mentioned before. Could someone explain why Cathays is pronounced Curtoys? A station near Cardiff.

That's not how I heard it pronounced when I was there. ('Cat-haze' with emphasis on the 'haze') was what I heard.

 

[daodao]

I'd pronounce it something closer to "Beth-eye" myself (with the 'th' sound as in "this" , not "thing" ), but that's coming from a North Walian who's not yet had occasion to visit that town. The rest of your list all look familiar to me as local (or somewhat Anglicised) pronunciations that I've encountered, even if I wouldn't normally use that pronunciation myself.

(In other words, I tend to pronounce Welsh placenames as if speaking in Welsh, and through my own local accent, with very few exceptions.)

I used to live just off Manor Way and bus route 400 (formerly run by Bebb's) from Beddau, which stops at Caedelyn Road, provided my local bus service into the city centre. I always pronounced Beddau as "Beth-eye" and don't recall hearing an alternative pronunciation; that is not to say alternative pronunciations aren't in use locally.

Some of the other pronunciations given in post 1113 are non-standard Anglicised South Walian dialect. For example, Llanedeyrn (a Cardiff suburb) is widely pronounced (incorrectly), including by myself, as "Llan-edin".

 

[hexagon789]

Don't know if this has been mentioned before. Could someone explain why Cathays is pronounced Curtoys? A station near Cardiff.

I always thought it was Cuh-tays

 

[krus_aragon]

Some of the other pronunciations given in post 1113 are non-standard Anglicised South Walian dialect. For example, Llanedeyrn (a Cardiff suburb) is widely pronounced (incorrectly), including by myself, as "Llan-edin".

I know Llanedeyrn, having had gone there to visit family many a time. I have to admit that I also 'skip' over the 'y' and 'r'; I'd have to resort to the IPA alphabet to describe how it's almost, but not quite "Llan-ed'in"

 

[S&CLER]

Beckermet in west Cumbria is pronounced Be-KER-met.

 

[mikeg]

Ulleskelf (Ool-skelf or Ull-uh-Skelf are two pronunciations I have heard)

Also, with its lack of a station and singular bus service there is Wilveliscombe - is any part unpronounced - I always end up pronouncing it Wivelly Comb, but sure this isn't right.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ulleskelf (Ool-skelf or Ull-uh-Skelf are two pronunciations I have heard)

Also, with its lack of a station and singular bus service there is Wilveliscombe - is any part unpronounced - I always end up pronouncing it Wivelly Comb, but sure this isn't right.

Just say Wivvy, locals usually shorten it to that!

 

[hexagon789]

Ulleskelf (Ool-skelf or Ull-uh-Skelf are two pronunciations I have heard)

Also, with its lack of a station and singular bus service there is Wilveliscombe - is any part unpronounced - I always end up pronouncing it Wivelly Comb, but sure this isn't right.

Pronouncing dictionary gives - "Wihvul-iss-kum" but gives a local pronunciation of "Will-skum"

 

[prod_pep]

I've always pronounced Maidstone as roughly 'Maidst'n' as with Folkestone, Parkstone, Penistone, Shenstone, etc. A former Maidstone local who recently moved to Liverpool insists the correct pronunciation is as spelt, with the 'stone' part fully pronounced. It's hard to argue with a local but is the 'Maidst'n' variant ever heard within Kent?

 

[hexagon789]

I've always pronounced Maidstone as roughly 'Maidst'n' as with Folkestone, Parkstone, Penistone, Shenstone, etc. A former Maidstone local who recently moved to Liverpool insists the correct pronunciation is as spelt, with the 'stone' part fully pronounced. It's hard to argue with a local but is the 'Maidst'n' variant ever heard within Kent?

It is Maid-st'n and that's irrespective of accent

 

[prod_pep]

It is Maid-st'n and that's irrespective of accent

I'd always thought so but apparently Maidstone residents disagree!

 

[Lewlew]

I've always pronounced Maidstone as roughly 'Maidst'n' as with Folkestone, Parkstone, Penistone, Shenstone, etc. A former Maidstone local who recently moved to Liverpool insists the correct pronunciation is as spelt, with the 'stone' part fully pronounced. It's hard to argue with a local but is the 'Maidst'n' variant ever heard within Kent?

I've always pronounced and heard "stone" pronounced in full for both Maidstone and Parkstone

 

[RichT54]

I grew up in Kent. My family and the people I knew all said 'stone' for both Maidstone and Folkestone!

 

[Meerkat]

The difference between Maidstone and Maidst’n is just accent and class isn’t it?
I use both, depending on how ‘properly’ I am talking.

 

[DavidGrain]

The difference between Maidstone and Maidst’n is just accent and class isn’t it?
I use both, depending on how ‘properly’ I am talking.

I also used both pronunciations of Maidstone when I used to travel there regularly on business. As with many of the other posts on this thread about other place names, these variants are what our teachers in infants school called lazy speech. Closer to home I am just as likely to say Birmingum or Birminghum as I am to say Birmingham. It really depends on who I am talking to, or even to whom I am talking

 

[Merle Haggard]

Don't know if this has been mentioned before. Could someone explain why Cathays is pronounced Curtoys? A station near Cardiff.

An interesting conundrum. Presumably the name is from China (and, coincidentally, there were Cardiff engine-sheds at both Cathays and Canton in my trainspotting youth) and should logically be pronounced in its native form, as is expected of Welsh-origin names.
Reminds me of trying to find Cambois diesel depot (replaced the easy North and South Blyth sheds) Tried it in my best schoolboy French to completely blank looks from the otherwise helpful passers-by. (I think it's 'Kammers'.)

 

[onlinespotting]

An old one Etruria (RP pronounced E - troor ee a) have heard Ururia et-Uria etc even locally

 

[prod_pep]

I also used both pronunciations of Maidstone when I used to travel there regularly on business. As with many of the other posts on this thread about other place names, these variants are what our teachers in infants school called lazy speech. Closer to home I am just as likely to say Birmingum or Birminghum as I am to say Birmingham. It really depends on who I am talking to, or even to whom I am talking

The 'h' is silent in Birmingham (i.e. 'Birmingum') irrespective of class or accent, unless you're North American.

I'll stick with 'Maidst'n' then. Despite having been to both places, I've never heard anyone pronounce Folkestone or Parkstone with the full 'stone'.

 

[Calthrop]

I also used both pronunciations of Maidstone when I used to travel there regularly on business. As with many of the other posts on this thread about other place names, these variants are what our teachers in infants school called lazy speech. Closer to home I am just as likely to say Birmingum or Birminghum as I am to say Birmingham. It really depends on who I am talking to, or even to whom I am talking

Not meaning to come across as combative: but doesn't virtually everyone, "from aristocrats to paupers", pronounce it basically as "Birmingum"? (I live in that city, myself.) From all that I discern, no-one in Britain actually pronounces the "h" in the name. Americans pronounce the same-name city in Alabama, as "Birming-ham" -- pronouncing the "h", and with the stress more on the final syllable, than on the others; but they and we say a lot of things differently from each other...

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

I'll stick with 'Maidst'n' then. Despite having been to both places, I've never heard anyone pronounce Folkestone or Parkstone with the full 'stone'.

You won't go wrong with that but I would give Maidstone up to half a stone at the end, not quite cut-off. As you say, there is no emphasis at the end of Folkestone (where I grew up and am stuck now), for me it's just wrong! Have we discussed Marden yet? Apparently that has a DEN, as does Tenterden, but I'd feel rather odd saying it. Back to stations, and EARith.

 

[krus_aragon]

The 'h' is silent in Birmingham (i.e. 'Birmingum') irrespective of class or accent, unless you're North American

Or if you're a member of the band Tebot Piws.

 

[Whistler40145]

Or if you're a member of the band Tebot Piws.

I always call Birmingham Brum, obviously the shortened version of Brummie

 

[DavidGrain]

I always call Birmingham Brum, obviously the shortened version of Brummie

A Brummie is someone from Brumagem. So Brum is a shortened form of the name of the city.
I wondered why someone from Manchester was called a Mancunian until I say an Arriva Trains Wales timetable which called the city Manceinion

 

[Whistler40145]

A Brummie is someone from Brumagem. So Brum is a shortened form of the name of the city.
I wondered why someone from Manchester was called a Mancunian until I say an Arriva Trains Wales timetable which called the city Manceinion

Obviously Manceinion is the Welsh spelling of Manchester

 

[ValleyLines142]

Some of the other pronunciations given in post 1113 are non-standard Anglicised South Walian dialect. For example, Llanedeyrn (a Cardiff suburb) is widely pronounced (incorrectly), including by myself, as "Llan-edin".

All of those in my post are confirmed from a fluent Welsh speaker, so make of that what you will

Don't know if this has been mentioned before. Could someone explain why Cathays is pronounced Curtoys? A station near Cardiff.

It isn't. It's pronounced 'cutaze'.