Phrases/words that set your teeth on edge.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Have to admit I can never decide whether Grinnich or Grennich is right.

Oh and while we're on the topic of London place names, I always thought Marylebone was pronounced Marry le Bone, but most people seem to pronounce it Marly Bone - and Wiki concurs!

I've never heard it pronounced the Wiki way.

[gurnemanz]

Another one is “Manchister”.

Hampstid, Hemel Hempstid are in OED

[gurnemanz]

That old London favourite: Wessminister.

Same as Chrismas, posman etc. Middle consonant of three disappears.

[Serial_Apologist]

Same as Chrismas, posman etc. Middle consonant of three disappears.

It's common practice among us lot - just one of a number of mispronunciations that never got corrected when I had elocution lessons at the age of 12 for the part of Pride in Dr Faustus - all 4 lines. I was forced to repeat "I am Pride" in the manner of delivery of Laurence Olivier in Richard III until I got it just right.

Another one my religious cousin always picks me up on is "Chrischun", which I would never have noticed had she not pointed it out.

[smittims]

I was 'Envy' in Faustus.

While we're on mispronunciations I particularly dislike 'mischeevious'.

[kernelbogey]

Hampstid, Hemel Hempstid are in OED

The lady who does the announcements on the Northern Line says 'Highgit'.

[burning dog]

Have to admit I can never decide whether Grinnich or Grennich is right.

Oh and while we're on the topic of London place names, I always thought Marylebone was pronounced Marry le Bone, but most people seem to pronounce it Marly Bone - and Wiki concurs!

The locals always called it Marry le Bone (including the announcer on London Underground) or Marra-Bon if they were "common". However, Marly bone seems to be popular nowadays.

[french frank]

I think local pronunciations of placenames are just that: they aren't 'right' or 'wrong'. Even in the case of the Bristolian pronunciation of the memorials to John Cabot (as in the Cabot Tower or Cabot House) which was always firmly Cabbo. Also Cabot ward (but now pronounced either Central ward or Hotwells and Harbourside ward). It took incomers to explain to us that Cabot was not a name of French origin but Italian Caboto, so we should say Cabbut. So some people say Cabbo and others say Cabbut.

Greenwich Village in New York is - invariably - Grennich Village and there's a YouTube video to prove it.

[kernelbogey]

I think local pronunciations of placenames are just that: they aren't 'right' or 'wrong'.

Portsmuff.
S'uthampton.

[burning dog]

An American asked my Clapham based friend the way to "Saint Wreatham" (Streatham)

[vinteuil]

An American asked my Clapham based friend the way to "Saint Wreatham" (Streatham)

... there are many such. I like Saint Epney, Saint Evenage, the new town built on the minster of St Ur - and of course the ford of St Rat. We currently don't talk about the town renamed in the honour of St Alin...

[french frank]

An American asked my Clapham based friend the way to "Saint Wreatham" (Streatham)

A young local scout once described his group as the One Saint Nailsea. Saint Wreatham and Saint Nailsea not to be found in any any Book of Saints. Nor Saint Johnstone. (Nor the ones that vints added)

[cloughie]

... there are many such. I like Saint Epney, Saint Evenage, the new town built on the minster of St Ur - and of course the ford of St Rat. We currently don't talk about the town renamed in the honour of St Alin...

It works both ways In Cornwall eg St Austell pronounced Snozzle!

[vinteuil]

It works both ways In Cornwall eg St Austell pronounced Snozzle!

... not to be confused with the Gloucestershire village of Snowshill (and the lovely Snowshill Manor) - pronounced ... Snozzle

.

[ardcarp]

...and talking of Cornwall (which was home to many little known 'saints', there is he church of St Symphorian. Local pronunciation of his name through the ages has resulted in he village being called Veryan. Lovely place, incidentally.