A Conversation for Ask h2g2
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Icy North Posted Dec 16, 2005
Southwell, Nottinghamshire = "Suth-ull"
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A Super Furry Animal Posted Dec 16, 2005
I'm not sure that just shortening a vowel really counts...what we're looking for is bizarre pronunciations that you wouldn't expect from the spelling?
For example, in London, "London's thriving West End musical tradition" should actually be pronounced as "Andrew Lloyd Weber's leftovers and fag-ends".
RF
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Granny Weatherwax - ACE - Hells Belle, Mother-in-Law from the Pit - Haunting near you on Saturday Posted Dec 16, 2005
Just from around here - near Manchester,
Walkden - Wogden
Bolton - Bowtn
Westhoughton - Westhawton
Horwich - Horridge
Worsley - Wuzzlee
Over Hulton - O'er ultn
I'll be back when I've consulted Grandad - a native dialect speaker 
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lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned Posted Dec 16, 2005
On the way the Macclesfield,
Little Peover is pronounced as Little Peever
.. and obviously similar with Greater Peover.. 
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Feisor - -0- Generix I made it back - sortof ... Posted Dec 17, 2005
You Brits sure talk funny
Anyone want to have a go at Woolloomooloo ?
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Ivan the Terribly Average Posted Dec 17, 2005
Or Goondiwindi or Canowindra, for that matter?
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Mrs Bojangles Posted Dec 17, 2005
Lancashire village of Whalley pronounced 'Warley'
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Ste Posted Dec 17, 2005
The most irritating one I know is of a main street in Pacific Beach, San Diego. It's called "Garnet Ave". Like the stone. You'd think it's pronounced GARnet or even GAR-nit but the locals pronounce the second syllable so heavily it comes out like garrr-NEHT, with the "net" going up at the end.
I think they did this on purpose to differentiate between locals and tourists.
Ste
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Ste Posted Dec 17, 2005
Oh, some more:
Scottish Irvine: irvin
California Irvine: Irv-INE
Californians just *love* putting the emphasis on that second syllable.
Some Devonian ones:
Teignmouth: Tinmuff
Newton Abbot: Newunaaah-but
Dawlish: Dahlish
Kingsteignton: Kingstaintun
Totnes: Tohtnus
Great thread 
Ste
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Woodpigeon Posted Dec 17, 2005
Peabody Massachusetts, as I recall, is pronounced "PeeBideeee"..
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Reefgirl (Brunel Baby) Posted Dec 17, 2005
Are you from those parts in Devon Ste, my In Laws live around there
Is it Bov-ee Tracey or Boh-vee Tracey
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Elenitsa Posted Dec 17, 2005
Definately (I think!) Bovvey!
I can remember being called a yokel for pronouncing Holborn in London as Holborn and not Ho - burn ????
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Reefgirl (Brunel Baby) Posted Dec 17, 2005
My Mother in Law calls it Bov-ee and she's from there so it must be right
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Reefgirl (Brunel Baby) Posted Dec 17, 2005
Isleworth is Eye-zel-worth not Isle (As in Isle of Wight) worth
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airscotia-back by popular demand Posted Dec 17, 2005
Glad i got here before somebody else posted my favourites;
Wymondham in Norfolk which the locals will tell you is pronounced 'Windem'
Cardenden in Fife which almost begs be be pronounced Car-Den-Den but is actually Carden-Den.
And finally to put the Didcot argument to rest. After living there for 30 years i can confirm the old locals pronounce it Did-cut. The place is huge now, so a lot of incommers have made Did-cot more common.
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Mrs Bojangles Posted Dec 17, 2005
I've lived in London for the last 20 years, and always pronounced it Holborn.
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Elenitsa Posted Dec 17, 2005
Ahh...I was a mere 16 year old up in town for the first time on a course....perhaps it was the natives taking the p1$$! 
Watch out all Londoners - you'd never guess what us yokels could make out of "Nempnett Thrubwell" if we wanted to.....
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Ste Posted Dec 17, 2005
Yeah I'm from Torquay originally (Torr-key) and my parents still live there.
I'm pretty sure it's Bovvietracie (as one word, like nuwunaaahbut)
Ste
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- 41: Icy North (Dec 16, 2005)
- 42: A Super Furry Animal (Dec 16, 2005)
- 43: aka Bel - A87832164 (Dec 16, 2005)
- 44: Granny Weatherwax - ACE - Hells Belle, Mother-in-Law from the Pit - Haunting near you on Saturday (Dec 16, 2005)
- 45: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Dec 16, 2005)
- 46: Feisor - -0- Generix I made it back - sortof ... (Dec 17, 2005)
- 47: Ivan the Terribly Average (Dec 17, 2005)
- 48: Mrs Bojangles (Dec 17, 2005)
- 49: Ste (Dec 17, 2005)
- 50: Ste (Dec 17, 2005)
- 51: Woodpigeon (Dec 17, 2005)
- 52: Reefgirl (Brunel Baby) (Dec 17, 2005)
- 53: Elenitsa (Dec 17, 2005)
- 54: Reefgirl (Brunel Baby) (Dec 17, 2005)
- 55: Reefgirl (Brunel Baby) (Dec 17, 2005)
- 56: airscotia-back by popular demand (Dec 17, 2005)
- 57: Mrs Bojangles (Dec 17, 2005)
- 58: Reefgirl (Brunel Baby) (Dec 17, 2005)
- 59: Elenitsa (Dec 17, 2005)
- 60: Ste (Dec 17, 2005)
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