We Dare You to Say These 11 Massachusetts Places Correctly on Your First Try (Spoiler: You Can’t)

Here are 11 Massachusetts places that are notoriously difficult to pronounce correctly on your first try:

1. Worcester – pronounced “WUHS-ter” or “WUHS-tah”
2. Quincy – pronounced “QUIN-zee”
3. Peabody – pronounced “PEE-buh-dee”
4. Leominster – pronounced “LEM-in-ster”
5. Scituate – pronounced “SIT-choo-it”
6. Plymouth – pronunciations may vary but typically “PLIM-uth”
7. Weymouth – pronounced “WAY-muth” or “WAY-muth” (the “mouth” pronounced “muth”)
8. Haverhill – pronounced “HAV-rill” (silent r)
9. Taunton – pronounced “TON-ton” or “TAWN-ton” depending on region
10. Tewksbury – pronounced “TUKS-bury”
11. Arlington – pronounced “AR-lin-tun” (with silent g)

Massachusetts town names often drop or alter expected sounds, especially “r”s and “t”s, making these pronunciations tricky for out-of-staters. The quirks stem from historical linguistic influences and regional dialects unique to New England.

SOURCES

[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41veHGRxbjw)
[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AckzNzbF5E4)
[3](https://roomescapeartist.com/2018/04/01/pronouncing-massachusetts-towns-rebus-guide/)
[4](https://www.reddit.com/r/massachusetts/comments/vol2kn/tricky_massachusetts_town_names/)
[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOMmtsZHwhI)