hard to pronounce wisconsin cities
No wonder we've borrowed its name for towns in Ohio and Utah. What is the Eleva's story is the exception to the rule. Trials and tribulations of the Land of O's. Listen online or download the iHeart App. uh-POK-ruh-fuhl. ", Fun Fact:Until 1872, the city was known by various spellings Sheetak, Shetak, Shetuk, Chetack which were all different variations on the Ojibwe word for "pelican.". ", You'd be hard-pressed to find an athlete whose name is butchered more often than Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Dacula: Commonly pronounced "Duh-CUE-la", 4. "I can tell in a minute a radio announcer who is new to the state," Appssaid. Maybe it's all those O's that makeOconomowoc quite the tongue-twister for visitors. Rate the pronunciation difficulty of kaukauna wisconsin 3 /5 (1 Vote) Very easy Easy Moderate Difficult Very difficult Pronunciation of kaukauna wisconsin with 1 audio pronunciations 0 rating Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. It's part of the name! Buena Vista: Commonly pronounced "BYOO-na VISS-ta", 3. According to Gard's book,the tinyTrempealeau County village of Eleva, about 20 miles south of Eau Claire, could have stumbled into its nameafter a grainelevatorwas constructed near the village's railroad tracks around the mid-1800s. Fun Fact:The two forests were formed in 1933, but were combined in 1993. MAN-i-tuh-wok. Wisconsin place names incite a sort of fervor among natives of the dairy state. Ultimately, the villagedecided to just gowith the flowand adopt Elevaas its official name. Here are 20 American towns that have really cut the cord from the sources of their names. This city, the county seat of Shawano County, is home to around 10,000 people. Nguyen is the most common last name in Vietnam, so theres a good chance you could encounter someone who has this surname. Nguyen. When will I get my Georgia tax rebate for 2023? In fact, Wisconsin is rich in odd names or at least names that seem odd to non-Wisconsinites. Unfortunately, there's no consensus on the pronunciation of Kinnickinnic. Or wait, is it Missouruh? Fun Fact:Weyauwega was the site of an alleged UFO sighting in February2003. Oconomowoc, Waukesha and Mukwonago are a few that topped the list. For towns from Pennsylvania to Illinois, it's ver-SAYLES. People do take pride not only in their hometowns, but the pronunciation of the name of their hometowns, Johnson said. Some places deceptively simple, and others notoriously confuse even Oregonians. She'd get her information from a community's leaders or moretrustworthy citizens by recording their pronunciations ofwhatever town they represented. Find her on Twitter as@mel_lawderor follow her on Instagram as@mellawder. For this Oregon city, you have to say it like "leba-NIN," not "leba-NON. What it means: extravagant, lofty, or bombastic in style or manner, especially language. Albany: Commonly pronounced "AlL-binny", 2. WAW-ki-shaw. a word, phrase, or expression that is conversational rather than formal. If you're done twisting your tongue, check out this funny video of Californians trying to pronounce some of these cities and towns! You might think assume this street on Milwaukee's south side would sound like the name "Becker." And I think because its something special, its like a little secret, but its something they have to be able to say 'Oconomowoc,' or 'Rio' or 'Waukesha.'. What Falcons NFC South rivals did in 2023 NFL draft. Say "a-LOW-ah. Oh, except in those places it's not MAN-tyoo-a, but MAN-a-way. Here are nine more hard-to-pronounce town names around the state, judging by apparent phonetic difficulty or trickery. Check out this list of some of the tough ones. Oconomowoc. Becher, a prominent real estate developer who came over from Germany in the 1850s. And in at least one case, a Wisconsin namecame about as a result ofan unfinished19th-century construction project or so the legend goes. Sign up here. Its residents have plenty to boast about. Fun Fact:Famous guitarist Les Paul was born in Waukesha, and was buried in the city's Prairie Home Cemetery after his death in 2009. ROO-shee, Ohio, to be exact. (With)people who grew up here, as I did, all that's sort of second nature.". Wisconsin names: tapestries of our histories. Hoschton: Commonly pronounced "HOOSH (like push)-tun", 7. "They got as far as Eleva, and so that became the name of the town!" Might as well make sure you pronounce it. Fun Fact:Kinnickinnicis an Ojibwe word that means "what is mixed" a reference to the mixing of indigenous plants and tobaccos for smoking. This city of 15,000 people is about100 miles north of Milwaukee, on the Fox River. Waunaukee is a small village around a dozen miles north of Madison. Kamogawa, a Japanese coastal city of a similar size to Manitowoc, has had a relationship with the Wisconsin citysince 1992. For example, Cairo is commonly pronounced "Kay-row.". It may seem easy to say, but you pronounce it as "The DALZ." How do you pronounce towns in Wisconsin? Visit the State Cartographers Office to make use of Pronounce Wisconsin a fully functional, large state of Wisconsin map that offers a user-friendly search feature, layers, and audio pronunciations of over 1,700 locations in the Badger State. Because even ifsomeonesays yourhometown's long-winded namewrong, Miss Pronouncer said,you'll probably jump at theopportunity to tell them how to say it right. The Dalles It may seem easy to say, but you pronounce it as "The DALZ." Heres a list of 17 words you might be saying wrong: Waukesha. Make sure to say "yaw-chats. When are the 2023 college graduation ceremonies in Georgia? Places arenamed because settlers want to live in place that reflects their own heritage Stockholm in Pepin County came aboutbecause the emigrants were Swedish and thus manyWisconsin place names canbe traced totheAmerican Indiansand the French. No, a bionic bordello isnt coming to rural Georgia, Atlanta parents say trip to state soccer finals marred by racial slurs, Seeing is believing: Stars and styles from tonight's Met Gala, Braves star Ronald Acua Jr. exits game with left shoulder contusion, Mistrial over murder charge for defendant accused in Gwinnett teens death, Dickens proposes $790M budget that invests in Atlantas youth and the citys workforce. During this time, visitors to the yet-to-be-namedvillageassumed that the "Eleva"painted on the structure was the village's name. That they're all cool with. So it goes its own way name-wise too. How do you pronounce yours? MissPronouncer. Texas has a town named for the whole country of Italy. What do you get when you cross English, Frenchand Native American heritage? Why? This town was an important settlement in Oregon's early history; now it is a ghost town and home to a heritage site. The United States of America, the great melting pot. When we talk about the Austrian city, the Chicago all beef hot dog, or even the city in Virginia, vee-EH-nuh is the way to go. They even have a baseball team calledtheOconomowoc Five-O'sand a local Holiday gas station has also adopted the Five-O's title. Some Wisconsin places, like Wood County's Rudolph,were simply named after the relatives of people who settled there (andnot, to be clear, after Santa's favorite reindeer). Wausau: It is a small city in central Wisconsin named after the Chippewa (Algonquin) word which means "far away." Weyauwega. We Have Town Names That Are Hard to Pronounce If you're not from Wisconsin you probably have a hard time pronouncing names like Oconomowoc, Ashwaubenon, Sheboygan, and Weyauwega just to name a few. Colloquialism. Dahlonega: Commonly pronounced "Duh-LAW-na-ga", 5. 1. All rights reserved. Milan is mi-LAN, or if you're really feeling it, mi-LAHN, and it's another Italian city we pay tribute to in our town names, everywhere from New York to Tennessee to Illinois to Washington State. "Soda" Our neighbors to the south call it pop, but we call sugary carbonated Whether you're talking about the region, valley, or river, this popular area sometimes gets people mixed up. Sheboygan: This small city in east-central Wisconsin is the Algonquin word for the Sheboygan River. New MAD-rid though? Chris Foran contributed to this report. Nestled between Milwaukee and Madison, Oconomowoc is an idyllicand charmingcity in southeastern Wisconsin,with a quaint downtown and an abundance of lakes on all sides of it. 2023 www.wausaudailyherald.com. Menomonie is a city in western Wisconsin. Gradually add broth and milk; bring to a boil over medium heat. It's pom-PAY right? Iola. When we speak about the palace in France or the treaty that ended WWI, it's ver-SAI. Taste of Home is America's #1 cooking magazine. The Czech city of Prague is full of old-world charm. Michigan honors the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. "It's hard to market a place people don't know how to pronounce or spell in the first place.". Learn how to pronounce them all! Stir in flour, mustard and pepper. of questionable authenticity, as in a story or statement. However, some towns that have borrowed city names from elsewhere don't even get the normal English pronunciation. Usually, the people who butchernames like "Wauwatosa" and "Kaukauna" are out-of-staters (like intheviral 2011 video of Texans attempting to pronounce Wisconsin city names). Ive heard Ray-cine and Ruh-cine and each side will argue that the other side is wrong.. This small city is around 40 miles north of Green Bay. LYE-ma. Plenty of towns have some weird spellings so here is a guide to the most mispronounced cities in Wisconsin. You pronounce it as "will-AM-it. Every state has its unique towns and places that will leave non-residents scratching their heads. Champoeg This one will be really fun to say -- and easy to remember. This one will be really fun to say -- and easy to remember. "From an economic development tourismstandpoint, it's a challenge," Duffy said. 2, Bagel/Bag Flickr/John How about Shawano? Just search the Internet for "How to say the names of Wisconsin cities" and you'll find a number of examples ofvideos showing hownon-natives butcherthe names of well-knownto usWisconsin places. Fun Fact:Antetokounmpo's hands are over a foot long! Trust me, we've all been there! MissPronouncer (and opinionated colleagues) assisted with pronunciations. I think most people, rather than be offended, smile and think Thats my place, thats my hometown, I know how to pronounce it and heres my opportunity to tell people about it.. I don't think Missourians even agree on that. Fun Fact:Manitowoc has a sister city in Japan. Fun Fact:Iola is known for various celebrations of its Norwegian heritage. These Californians Tried To Pronounce The Names Of Cities In O Do not sell or share my personal information. Outagamie is a county in northeastern Wisconsin in the Appleton area. We recommend our users to update the browser. Theme Parks. If you can't pronounce it, then sorry: You're not an authentic Cheesehead. But in Georgia it's KAY-ro, and in Illinois, KEH-ro. Grandiloquent. Dane County'sRockdalewasnamed because the village was situated in a valley between two rock ridges, according to the book "The Romance of Wisconsin Place Names" by Robert Gard. Cook and stir until cheese is melted (do not boil). But consider the fact that there is an entire website that lists how to correctly pronounce each Wisconsin place name. We took "O Sole Mio" and made "It's Now or Never." ManyWisconsin place names are derived from the ethnic historyof the place in question, Apps said. Fun Fact:The village bills itself as "The Only Waunakee in the World.". More than 5.7 million Wisconsinites live in this No one has shown, in a scientific way,that Wisconsin has morehard-to-pronounce names than typical for a state. "Our place names represent our history,"said Jerry Apps, a Wisconsin historian who wrote the foreword to Gard's book. Waukesha is a county, city and a town. Add ham; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. How to say it: gran-DILL-uh-kwuhnt. Located in the northwest area of the city, never say "couch" like the furniture. The word is also, to the chagrin of grammar nuts, spelled three other ways: Menonimee (the county), Menonomee (the river), and Manoominii (an alternate spelling of the Native American tribe). Chetek,a city in northwestern Wisconsin, is in a region known as "Indianhead Country. 10. The correct pronunciation of this word, therefore, is [ voh-kab-yuh-ler-ee ]. Its no secret that Wisconsin is full of places that are infuriatingly hard to pronounce. You would be wrong. "sham-POO-ee." Others wereinspired by the area's distinct geological features. Eye-OH-luh. Shawano. 5. You're probably better off calling him by his nickname, "The Greek Freak.". ;). Ashwaubenon ; Pronunciation: Ash-wah-buh-non; Located in Green Bay County ; Population as of 2019: 17.149; Baraboo; Pronunciation: Bare-uh-Boo; Largest city in Sauk County; Boscobel; Pronunciation: Bahs-koh-Bell; Located in Grant What is that extra 'i' doing on the end there anyway? One of the best of these was made in 2011, when Mike De Sisti of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had Texans try to pronounce Wisconsin cities: Wisconsinplace names incitea sort of fervor among natives of the dairy state. Gillett. We took pizza and put cheese inside the crust. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, the word "Wisconsin" itself is a multi-ethnic concoction: it's theEnglish spelling of a French version of a Miami Indian name for the river currently known as the Wisconsin River. It's part of the name! While I was growing up, my family had a big garden. To pronounce this small timber town in Oregon, make sure to say "clat-skan-eye. The city of more than30,000 sits at the mouth of the Manitowoc River, which flows into Lake Michigan. The country of Russia is represented by a town in Ohio. Comment or email me at adam.carlson@ajc.com for possible inclusion in a follow-up. But what was perhaps more interesting was the way theresponses were laced with a sort of reverence toward many of Wisconsin's more intricate-sounding towns and cities. However, despite these internal battles about whetherpart of a word is wrongly emphasized, Johnson said she believes most people possess a soft spot for these difficult and sometimes verbose Badger State placenames. JILL-it. But after the construction of a hydroelectric plant, the nickname was changed to "The Electric City. And according to some Wisconsinites, it's painfully obvious when somebody in radio mispronounces a well-known Wisconsin word. Seeing a need, Johnson built MissPronouncer.com, a website thatlists the state's more than 1,000place names with an audio clip that sounds out the correctpronunciationofeach. The men tasked with buildingthe structure had begun to paint the word "elevator"on it, but halted the work for the winter season afterthe first five letters. Acity of more 15,000 people, Oconomowoc is about 30 miles west of Milwaukee. ", We're not talking about the country in the Middle East! Don't believe that? It's the first name that often comes to mind when one thinks of hard-to-pronounce place names in Wisconsin. What you may not know about Acadia National Park. It's been a street name since at least the 1880s. Becausewhy not, right? kuh-loh-kwee-uh-liz-uhm. Apps said. Specifically, Johnson who receives lots of feedback on how to pronounce place namesbecause of her sitesaid there aretwo place namesthat incite the most passion among people who reach out to her through social media and email: Waukesha and Racine. WAW-ki-shaw. Wisconsin native Jackie Johnson was working in news and radio in 2005 when she realized that there was no resource for broadcasters confused by the correct phonetics of a Wisconsin place name. ", Portlanders are familiar with this road. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. 1. A sea of red shirts floods Disney World each June. Hahira: Commonly pronounced "Hay-HI-ra", 6. Some were so difficult, even we got them wrong. Quiz: Which of these weird Georgia town names is real or fake? "sham-POO-ee." The German capital Ber-LIN has loaned its name to many an American town, but here we've turned it into BER-lin. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. National Parks. Oshkosh: This small city in east-central Wisconsin was named after Chief Oshkosh of the Menominee tribe. Here are 20 American towns that have really cut the cord from the sources of their names. why-uh-WEE-guh. Here's why. Except in those places it's MY-lun. Heres how to pronounce it: WAA-saa Wewahitchka This city is best known for two of its unique assets; the Dead Lakes and Tupelo Honey. This is one of the most infamous names in the entire state. Usually we simply use the English version of the word for a place: we don't say Par-EE, Texas, the French way, but PARE-iss, because that's how we say Paris in English. Just two syllables. But these towns in Kentucky and Illinois are called EIGHTH-ens. ", But it gets even trickier when faced with the many different kinds of names given to Georgia's towns,as AL.com recently demonstrated in Alabama. Fun Fact: The street was named after J.A. "I think people could be intimidated by looking at it, seeing it all spelled out with a bunch of O's," said Oconomowoc's economicdevelopment manager Bob Duffy, who was also named the 2015 Citizen of the Year by the Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce. WebPronunciation of wisconsin cities with 1 audio pronunciations 0 rating rating ratings Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. People usually pronounce Pewaukee using the full word, instead of shortening it, she said. The Vermont way (mont-PEEL-yer) or the more French-style way people sometimes use (mont-pel-YAY)? easy familiarity and friendship, often built over time. Stir in flour, mustard and pepper. Subtly, they conveyed the message,"Damn right, these towns are hard to pronounce and we're proud of it.". Fun fact: it's also the largest city along the Columbia River outside the Portland metro area. The city is Milwaukee's most populous suburb. Fun Fact:The name comes from the Chippewaword for "southern. On Twitter, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin askedreaders for their opinions on the hardest-to-pronounce place in the state;nearly two dozenpeople enthusiastically offered uptheir suggestions within minutes. Ten Wisconsin Towns That Are Hard To Pronounce Correctly. People get passionate, even people who live in that city (Racine) differ amongst themselves, she said. Here's a list of 17 words you might be saying wrong: Waukesha is a county, city and a town. Chequamegon is also a bay in Lake Superior, but the national forest combines an Ojibwe word with a French explorer's name (Jean Nicolet) to really confuse out-of-towners. Sticking with Italy for a little longer, there's Palermo (Pa-LER-mo), or, as they say in North Dakota, PAL-er-mo. Did we forget a town name? The municipality is known as "The Land of Five O's" and a sculpture of five O's all linked together slightly reminiscent ofthe Olympics logosits in the middle of downtown Oconomowoc. Stir in cheese; reduce heat. ", Thor's Well at Sunset - Yachats Oregon, USA#nature #landscape #seascape #longexposure #pnw #oregon #ThePhotoHour pic.twitter.com/8Xcf0HA1WJ, You may be familiar with the Hawaiian saying, "Aloha!" Are there words we have not covered here that you find difficult to pronounce? Each still has an individual headquarters, but they are managed together by theU.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. While the capital city of Libya, has miles of Mediterranean coastline, Iowa's Tripoli has no shore at all. Walthourville: Commonly pronounced "Walt-hour-ville" (like it's three separate words). No, it's not pronounced like the razor brand. The capital of Peru is Lima (LEE-ma). Not in Michigan, where the locals call it pom-pay-eye. From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tri-POH-luh? There's a city in New York named after the South American country of Chile, which we would call CHILL-ee or if you want to get fancy, CHEE-laybut there they call it CHAI-lai. Gillett. After all, the city's 10-letter name is a conversation starter. Spain has Madrid (Ma-DRID). kah-muh-RAH-duh-ree. 17. of 40. Chetek. The town named for it in Ohio? Fun fact: it's also the largest city along the Columbia River outside the Portland metro area. There are Montpeliers all over the place in the US. Going Out Reporter Melanie Lawder can be reached at melanie.lawder@gannettwisconsin.com or 715-845-0607. But some Wisconsin wordsare so tongue-twisting that even Wisconsin residentsmight be mispronouncingthem. SHU-tek. Well, some of them can difficult to pronounce. Wisconsinites like their cheese in curd-form, their beer always fulland their hometown's name long and impossible to say. Explore Quiz: Which of these weird Georgia town names is real or fake? Fun Fact:If you're driving down Menomonie Street in Eau Claire, you'll pass Me-No-Monie Street Pawn and Loan. ", A small lake behind my house in Clatskanie, Oregon (OC)[5382x7268] #nature pic.twitter.com/TPuOE8GPsj. WebWisconsin has 190 cities, 400 villages, 1,260 towns, and 1,000+ unincorporated. Fun Fact:The tongue-twisting name is derived from the Potawatomi word for "waterfall.". Camaraderie. And for more tricky terms, This Is the Most Commonly Misspelled Word in the Country. "You can tell in a minute people who are not familiar with our names. But for towns in Illinois and South Dakota, it's vai-EH-nuh. McDonough: Commonly pronounced "Mick-DONE-a" or "Mac-DONNA", 9. Add ham; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. WebApocryphal. Abrams (AY-bruhmz) The town sits on the edge of Iola Lake in central Wisconsin. Squeaky cheese, Jolly Good Soda and The Milverine, we explore what makes Wisconsin great in our weekly Be Wisconsin email newsletter. For Oconomowoc,its longname can be a hindrance sometimes. Host (s): Joy Cardin Guest (s): Jackie Johnson Producer (s): Justin Williams Its no secret that Wisconsin is full of places that are infuriatingly hard to pronounce. 17 words only a true Wisconsinite knows how to pronounce. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. We take names from places all over the world to give to our towns and cities, and once they're ours, we'll pronounce them how we want to, thank you very much. Clubhouse Live: Packers John Kuhn, Eddie Lacy play HWDYK? Eye-OH-luh. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Mom would turn that produce into some wonderful mealsthat's where I get my love of cooking. Oconomowoc. SUPPORT JOURNALISM: Become a Journal Sentinel subscriber today, The 20 best Milwaukee songs and albums of the 2010s, as chosen by leaders in the music scene (subscriber exclusive), 15-plus Milwaukee-area restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas. Fun Fact:The city was named by early French explorers in the 17th century, who encountered a Fox Indian chief whose name meant "dog," or chien in French. If we're talking Egypt, we're talking KAI-ro. "Once they're able to say it they're not going to forget it," Duffy said. We take music, foods, words and traditions from all over the world, shake them up and blend them into something distinctly American.