In Washington state, on the Olympic peninsula, there's a town called Sequim. You might think it would be pronounced Se-kwim...but, of course, you'd be wrong. It's actually just Skwim. <BR><BR>On the other hand, another town on the Olympic peninsula, Humptulips, is pronounced just like it looks.

Lafayette, Louisiana, is Laffy-ett. <BR> <BR>Waianae, Hawaii, is Wye-nye. I'm told that only malihinis (newbies) give it three syllables.<BR><BR>California: San Rafael always trips up novice TV announcers. It's pronounced Sann-ruh-fell... Lodi is low-die.<BR><BR>

Lompoc is LOM-poke

Just about everywhere in Wales is pronounced weirdly. And it's not just the Welsh placenames: St. Clears near Camarthen is pronounced "Saint Clairs".

A major street (and island) in Minneapolis, MN is Nicollet - pronounced just like it looks, Nick-o-LET. Drives anyone who took French nuts.

xxx, you're right. I'm originally from the Twin Cities and I'm so used to that pronounciation I forget it's not correct (although I suppose it's *possible* that it's actually how explorer, mathematician, and map mapmaker Joseph Nicollet pronounced his name.)<BR><BR>P.S. Since I didn't become a Francophile until I moved away, I didn't realize when I lived there just how pervasive French names are in the Twin Cities, and Minnesota in general. <BR><BR>

In Michigan:<BR>Mackinac= Mak-a naw<BR>

In response to an earlier question:<BR><BR>Houma, Louisiana, is pronounced HO-MA. It's named for the local native Americans, the Houmas [HO-MAS} nation.<BR><BR>The town next to it, Thibodeaux, is pronounced TIB-A-DOE