Here is a list of 11 Kansas places that are notoriously difficult to pronounce correctly on the first try, even for many outsiders:
- Arkansas City
Pronounced like the state Arkansas — “Ar-KAN-sas” — not like Arkansas the state (“Ar-KAN-saw”) [This is the more local Midwestern pronunciation]. - Chautauqua
Pronounced “Shuh-TAH-qua” rather than the common outsider mispronunciation “CHAT-ah-qua.” - El Dorado
Pronounced “El Dor-AY-doe,” not with a short “a” sound as in the common Americanized pronunciation. - Louisville
In Kansas, pronounced “Loo-iss-ville,” differing from the Kentucky “Loo-a-vul.” - Nemaha County
Pronounced “Knee-ma-HAW,” not “Knee-MA-ha,” similar to Omaha. - Neodesha
Pronounced “Knee-oh-duh-SHAY,” reflecting its Native American origins. - Salina
Pronounced “Sah-LIE-na,” not “Sah-lee-na.” - Tecumseh
Pronounced “Te-come-SEE,” not “Te-come-SUH” or “Te-come-SAY.” - Wamego
Pronounced “Wa-MEE-go,” not “Wa-MAY-go” or “WA-meh-go.” - Hays
Pronounced simply as it’s spelled “Hays” with a hard “a.” - Yates Center
Pronounced “Yates” as in “dates,” not “Yay-tees.”
These pronunciation quirks are part of the local identity and can immediately mark someone as either a Kansan insider or an out-of-towner. Many place names stem from Native American languages or early settlers and have evolved distinct pronunciations that defy guesses based on spelling alone.
Embracing these will get a traveler or newcomer off to a good start in blending in with Kansans and respecting local heritage.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2021/09/30/you-know-youre-from-kansas-how-to-pronounce-these-words-cities-correctly/5898868001/)
[2](https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupid?key=ha000235228)
[3](https://www.reddit.com/r/kansas/comments/niwll9/a_pronunciation_guide_for_kansas_place_names/)
[4](https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Pronunciation_Guide_to_Kansas_Place_Na.html?id=h_JYAAAAMAAJ)
[5](https://www.nypl.org/research/research-catalog/bib/cb2678606)
