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BraveSirRobin ( member #69242) posted at 9:43 PM on Tuesday, March 30th, 2021
If you live in Massachusetts, pronouncing "Massachusetts" is the least of your problems.
Worcester should always be pronounced "WUSStah" (the uss rhymes with puss, not pus). Woe betide the tourist who says Warchester, Woorsester, or any pronunciation that acknowledges the word has more than two syllables or ends with the letter R. Remember this for Gloucester (GLOSStah) and Leicester (LESStah) as well.
Don't assume the rule is universal, though. Leominster is allowed three syllables (LEMinstah). Westminster gets an extra one that doesn't appear on paper (westMINistah).
Winchendon inexplicably pronounces the first n as a t (WITCHendon). There's a silent c in the first part of Scituate and an invisible ch in the second part (SITchooit). Peabody is PEEbedy (or sometimes PEEBdy), but it's never pronounced like the name of the cartoon dog on Rocky and Bullwinkle.
I had to learn all this growing up, and then I moved and had a whole new list to absorb. Bala Cynwyd is BAlah KINwid. Schuylkill is SKOOkul. Knoebels is kehNObuls. It's the REDding Railroad, not REEDing.
As far as words I can't pronounce myself, I always have to pause before I say fuchsia. I didn't know it was FEWshah when I was a kid. Man, did the teacher's head whip around when she heard me say "Fuck, see ya." Only my reputation as a goody two shoes saved me a trip to the principal's office.
Chili ( member #35503) posted at 9:56 PM on Tuesday, March 30th, 2021
I didn't know it was FEWshah when I was a kid. Man, did the teacher's head whip around when she heard me say "Fuck, see ya."
Ok - that's hysterical. Your story had me remembering having to read ubiquitous out loud (never having heard it spoken). It came out the way I had read it in my head in books: You-Be-Quee-Shus. Whoopsie. Teacher's head did come up, but at least I didn't have to go see the principal.
2012 pretty much sucked.
Things no longer suck.
Took off flying solo with the co-pilot chili dog.
"Life teaches you how to live it if you live long enough" - Tony Bennett
zebra25 ( member #29431) posted at 3:14 PM on Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
BSR, that made me laugh at loud!! 
You know about Knoebels!? 
"Don't let anyone who hasn't been in your shoes tell you how to tie your laces."
D-day April 2010
Brave30 ( member #41124) posted at 6:05 PM on Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
I don't know if there are any words that I can't pronounce.
But, neither my DH or my dad can pronounce Crayon.
One says it like "Crown." The other says like "Cran." Both confuse the heck out of my three year old because she can't understand what they're telling her.
ETA: I know about Knoebels too! And, how to pronounce it. 
[This message edited by Brave30 at 12:06 PM, March 31st (Wednesday)]
Bigger ( Attaché #8354) posted at 6:42 PM on Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
Anybody remember Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland? Anybody here manage THAT name?
They have a new eruption that hasn’t been too much in the news. I have read a couple of names and maybe it’s not making the news simply because the anchors can’t pronounce Geldingadalhraun. Sounds like someone clearing his throat!
"If, therefore, any be unhappy, let him remember that he is unhappy by reason of himself alone." Epictetus
GrayShades ( member #59967) posted at 7:08 PM on Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
I always mangle 'statistics' as stastistics. And I teach it. 
Me: 50 on Dday
WH: Turned 48 the day before Dday
Dday: 05/16/17 One son, now young adult.
zebra25 ( member #29431) posted at 7:39 PM on Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
You too Brave30!?
"Don't let anyone who hasn't been in your shoes tell you how to tie your laces."
D-day April 2010
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