LIST: The most mispronounced places in Virginia

Trace, trace: ‘Powhite’ is on the record

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia place names and their pronunciations generally is a nightmare for guests and newcomers to the Commonwealth. Fortunately, we’ve received a cheat sheet so that you can be sure you’re talking like a neighborhood!

We requested our Fb viewers to chime in and tell us what locations “grind their gears” after they hear them pronounced incorrectly.

Central Virginia

Henrico

This one’s a stone-cold traditional and likewise options on our different record, ‘How one can inform if somebody is from Richmond.’ Somebody new to the realm is perhaps tempted to pronounce it ‘Hen-ree-ko’ or ‘Hen-rick-oh’ however the widespread pronunciation is, in fact, ‘Hen-rye-ko.’

Powhatan

The temptation to pronounce the county’s identify as ‘Poh-wah-tan’ may make sense given the everyday pronunciation of Powhite, however the commonest pronunciation is ‘Pow-ah-tan’. The county is known as after the chief of an alliance of Algonquian-speaking Native American tribes within the Tidewater in 1607, when the British first settled at Jamestown.

Matoaca

For individuals who is perhaps tempted to syllabize all of the vowels in Matoaca, it might sound a bit unnatural to pronounce it ‘Mah-toke-ah’ however when you do, you may discover it enjoyable to say. The Chesterfield County city will get its identify from the Pamunkey princess Matoaka; higher recognized by her nickname, ‘Pocahontas.’

Mattaponi

An unincorporated city in King and Queen County, Mattaponi generally is a wrestle for some. Most out-of-towners pronounce it ‘Mat-ah-poh-nee’ however the appropriate pronunciation is definitely ‘Mat-ah-poh-nye’. Native vernacular could make it sound like ‘Mat-ah-pa-nye’ however all agree it’s actually not ‘-pony.’

Huguenot

This small city in Powhatan County may look intimidating. And a few is perhaps tempted to over-think it and pronounce it ‘Hue-gwen-oh’ or one thing comparable. The proper pronunciation, nevertheless, is just ‘Hue-guh-knot.’

Northern Virginia

Fauquier

The identify of Fauquier County is certain to stump anybody new to it; some widespread mispronunciations embody ‘Fow-kai-er’ and ‘Faw-kwai-er’. The proper pronunciation, nevertheless, is just ‘Faw-keer’. The county is known as after Francis Fauquier, who was Lieutenant Governor of Virginia on the time of the county’s institution.

Loudoun

This county on the northernmost tip of the Commonwealth may throw some folks. It isn’t pronounced ‘Lewd-en’ like Louie, however ‘Loud-on’. The county is supposedly named for John Campbell, the Fourth Earl of Loudoun and governor-general of Virginia from 1756 to 1759.

Dumfries

No, it’s not ‘Dumb-fries’. This city in Prince William County will get its identify from a city in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The proper pronunciation is just ‘Dum-freeze.’

Tidewater

Norfolk

You might be tempted to pronounce this because it appears to be like; ‘Nor-folk’. However the appropriate pronunciation is definitely ‘Nor-fuhk.’ The town is presumably named after a British county of the identical identify — and pronunciation.

Portsmouth

A reputation which will show troublesome for these not acquainted with it. Portsmouth will not be pronounced ‘Ports-mouth’, as an alternative, it’s pronounced like ‘Port-smith’. The identify comes from a port within the metropolis of Hampshire in southern England.

Gloucester

It is a difficult one. Frequent mispronunciations for this one embody, ‘Glou-chest-er’ and ‘Glou-ster.’ The toughest half for some is the lacking vowel, however the appropriate pronunciation is ‘Glost-er.’ The unique Gloucester is a cathedral metropolis inside Gloucestershire in England.

Isle of Wight

Right here’s one other space of the Tidewater named after a British area. Some persons are recognized to make the error of saying it ‘Wright’, presumably as a result of Wright is a extra widespread identify. After all, the proper pronunciation is identical because the phrase ‘White.’

Shenandoah Valley

Staunton

Not so simple as it appears to be like. The ‘-aunt’ spelling may lead some to pronounce it ‘Stawn-ton’, just like the phrase ‘taunt’ however it’s truly pronounced ‘Stan-ten’. The town will get its identify from Girl Rebecca Staunton, who was spouse to the Royal Lieutenant-Governor, Sir William Gooch, in 1747.

The Southwest

Wytheville

The ‘y’ in Wytheville prompts many to pronounce the laborious ‘AY’ sound, however it’s truly pronounced ‘With-vill.’ The county was named after George Wythe, one of many fingers who penned the Declaration of Independence and is famous as a Founding Father of the USA.

Bonus – Central Virginia Roads

We wished to depart roads off this record and save them for an additional story however some options deserved a point out.

Powhite

This one could also be controversial. There are two accepted methods of saying Powhite Parkway — or Powhite Creek — the primary is ‘Poh-white,’ that is the extra widespread pronunciation for folks in Central Virginia. The second pronunciation ‘Pow-hite,’ whereas that is much less widespread it’s believed to possible be nearer to its Native American origin.

Genito

Sure, it appears like ‘genitals’. Whereas out-of-towners is perhaps tempted to pronounce it ‘Je-nee-toh,’ the proper pronunciation for Genito Street is ‘Jen-ih-toh.’

Parham

This highway stretches throughout the whole thing of northern Henrico, from Chippenham to Chamberlayne. The mispronunciation is nearly inevitable for newcomers; ‘Par-ham’ will not be the proper approach to say it. The proper pronunciation is definitely ‘Pear-em.’

This record will probably be up to date with extra steered names, don’t fear!