A Conversation for Pronouncing British Place Names [Peer Review version]

Auchinleck/Affleck

Post 1

Susan Shocks

I don't doubt that it once was so but these days in Ayrshire (I live in Prestwick), the town is pronounced Och-in-leck by anyone I've ever heard say it - and believe me, there are some characteristic pronunciations in use round these parts! (e.g. toes = tays; waxcloth (aka linoleum) = wox-clith; how = who (which can cause just as much confusion as you might imagine). Of course, that might be down to there being fewer natives around than previously.

BTW, does that mean that Ben Affleck might have descended from Ayrshire folk?

On a related note, a guide to pronouncing the "ch" in so many Scottish words esp. place names is to imagine that you are clearing your throat in preparation for spitting. It is basically a milder version of that - without the actual expectoration (usually).


Auchinleck/Affleck

Post 2

Aurora

Aha, another Ayrshire person who's never heard the "Affleck" pronunciation! Hello! smiley - smiley

I think you might be right in saying that it's an older pronunciation which has been lost as new people move into the area and assume Auchinleck is said how it looks. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I'm sure that the announcement on the train from Glasgow says Och-in-leck and not Affleck, though that says nothing about local pronunciation.

We really need a native Auchinlecker to settle the problem.


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