Here are 11 Missouri place names that often trip up even locals and visitors, along with their tricky pronunciations that many don’t get right on the first try.
11 Missouri Places You Probably Can’t Pronounce Correctly on First Try
- Nevada – pronounced nev-AY-duh, not like the state Nevada.
- Versailles – pronounced vehr-SAYLZ, differing from the French original.
- Auxvasse – pronounced uh-VAWZ or oh-VAWZ, keeping close to the French.
- Peculiar – pronounced pi-KYOOL-yer, not like the English adjective.
- Glasgow – pronounced GLAS-goh, different from the Scottish pronunciation.
- Paris – pronounced PAIR-iss, not like the French capital.
- Joplin – pronounced JAH-plin.
- Knob Noster – pronounced NAHB NAHS-ter.
- Courtois – pronounced code-away (unexpected phonetic).
- Creve Coeur – pronounced KREHV-kor or KREHV-CUR.
- Choteau – pronounced SHOW-toe, a common surprise.
Missouri’s place names reflect a rich mix of French, Native American, and southern U.S. influences, creating a regional challenge for pronunciation that locals handle with pride and some humor.
SOURCES
(https://www.kbia.org/arts-and-culture/2013-09-12/why-cant-missouri-pronounce-its-towns-right)(https://reader.ku.edu/sites/reader/files/2024-12/Missouri%20Place%20Names.pdf)(https://www.reddit.com/r/missouri/comments/160ozgt/familiar_place_names_alternate_pronunciations/)(https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Pronunciation_Guide_to_Missouri_Place.html?id=V53xfpIiJ7MC)(https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Pronunciation_Guide_to_Missouri_Place.html?id=Cn6y5DFoZ28C)
