A Conversation for Pronouncing British Placenames
Northern Ireland
BP - sometime guardian of Doobry the Thingite wolf Started conversation Mar 7, 2007
Don't forget Northern Ireland! One that always trips people up is Ahoghill, as of course everyone insists on saying A-hog-hill. In fact it's a-hoch-ill ('hoch' rhymes with Scottish 'loch' and has the same soft 'ch'). The overall effect is of someone trying to clear something stuck in their throat.
Northern Ireland
Icy North Posted Mar 7, 2007
I reckon someone needs to collate the Irish ones for a sister article. Post them here and maybe someone will pick it up. RoI too.
Icy
Should've changed the subject heading
TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office Posted Mar 8, 2007
'Cause Athenry's not in the North.
Should've changed the subject heading
BP - sometime guardian of Doobry the Thingite wolf Posted Mar 9, 2007
Mostly, I think you should be OK in Ireland if you remember that 'ch' and 'gh' both take a soft 'ch': eg. Drumballydonaghy isn't pronounced 'donagy' but 'donahy'.
Also, remember that in Gaelic, 'bh' is pronounced 'v': hence in Cork, Cobh is pronounced 'Cove'.
I remember a heated argument breaking out on a family holiday to Galway on the pronunciation of Tuam (Tu-am? Chu-am?) In the end we had to stop the car when we reached the town and ask a friendly local. Turns out you say it 'Choom'.
Also in Galway, the longest place name in Ireland, and (allegedly) the longest port name in the world: Muckanaghederdauhaulia, which is chock-full of potential pitfalls, mostly revolving around the two 'd's. It goes something like: 'Mwig-unnok-ither-gaw-hawl-ya'.
Some names that are pretty pronounceable but mildly amusing are Sneem, Cong, Spiddal, Bruff and Furbo. I also like Two-Mile Borris.
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Northern Ireland
- 1: BP - sometime guardian of Doobry the Thingite wolf (Mar 7, 2007)
- 2: Icy North (Mar 7, 2007)
- 3: TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office (Mar 8, 2007)
- 4: TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office (Mar 8, 2007)
- 5: BP - sometime guardian of Doobry the Thingite wolf (Mar 9, 2007)
- 6: TRiG (Ireland) A dog, so bade in office (Mar 9, 2007)
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