This has got nothing to do with Literature / History. But thought of sharing this with you folks
Top 10 most mispronounced places
Nothing can make a traveler feel more clueless than mispronouncing the name of a local destination, but it's easily done. A travel website has come up with a list of "The World's Top 10 Most Mispronounced Places."
"As confounding as IKEA product names, these gems consistently trip up even the most intrepid globetrotters," said general manager Giampiero Ambrosi.
*1. Phuket, Thailand* This is definitely not a good one to learn the hard way and to make it even more difficult, advice on the correct way to pronounce it can vary. To avoid scowls, general disdain, and possibly worse, go with "Pu-get."
*2. Mooball, Australia* While Mooball may sound like a cute term of bovine endearment, it's actually pronounced "Moo-bull."
*3. La Jolla, California* What does the sport of boxing have in common with beautiful La Jolla, California? Not much except to get this one right, you need to rhyme it with the boxer, Oscar de la Hoya.
*4. Oaxaca, Mexico* For non-Spanish speakers, the chances of mangling this one are pretty high. Just remember that there's no "hoax" in Oaxaca and that Osaka is in Japan. The correct way to say it is "Wah-ha-ca."
*5. Hjo, Sweden * The correct pronunciation of the town is "You."
*6. Wauchope, Australia * If you want to give the locals a good laugh, refer to this as "War-choppy." The real pronunciation is actually "War-hope."
*7. Cobh, Ireland * Even the simplest of names can be deceptive. Keep in mind that it's on an island, not in a cornfield, so pronounce it "Cove," not "Cob."
*8. Coxsackie, New York* When trying to pronounce Coxsackie, don't think of Courteney Cox but what her character on "Friends" did for a living -- cook. So in this part of the world, just think "Cook-sock-ee!"
*9. Sequim, Washington * "Sqwim" is actually the correct pronunciation for the town known as the Lavender Capital of North America.
*10. Ptuj, Slovenia * The residents of Ptuj must get tired of hearing the name of this pretty town get butchered over and over again. When pronounced correctly, it sounds like a dainty sneeze: "P-too-ee."