Arriving at the Lancashire Telegraph, I think it is fair to say I am not a local and in fact what might be referred to as a “soft southerner” - you know the rest.
So, it is only fitting that I have been tasked with explaining to you, the people of East Lancashire, exactly how to pronounce these sometimes incomprehensible town names across the region.
During my time here I have found that sometimes the more confident you are with saying it, the more you flounder the pronunciation.
Nothing brings you back down to earth quicker than an unimpressed, straight-to-the-point Lancastrian pointing out your error, too.
It also feels that some of the name places are directly there to trip us southerners up, with what you would assume the pronunciation is a long way from the proper one.
We have put together the eight most mispronounced East Lancashire locations you suggested to us, and it's fair to say I've been tripped up by a fair few of these.
Bacup – (Bay-Cup)
This was my first reality check when arriving in East Lancashire as an eager young journalist.
I clearly missed the silent Y in the middle of the world, and to the delight of my colleagues pronounced it Back-up – a mistake I have continued to make until quite recently.
Oswaldtwistle – (Oz-Uhl-Twi-Sl)
It might be my favourite place name in the UK, but Oswaldtwistle was the next to stop me in my tracks.
And in my defence, how is anyone not from the area ever going to get that one right? With no indication of the Uhl sound in the spelling, my phonetic attempt was greeted with derision the first time I tried it.
Now I won't forget how it's said - or just stick to 'Ozzie' for short.
Whalley – (Worl-Ee)
It is fair to say, the Ribble Valley village made me look a right wally, and that is also not how it is pronounced.
I was politely told I needed an R in there somewhere, and it is actually pronounced Worl-Ee, a mistake I will try not to make again.
Rawtenstall (Rotten-Stall)
Another one that caught me off guard, and I admit, is a mistake that I continue to make.
I suppose the W could replace the T to form the Rotten pronunciation, but frankly, I’m not convinced.
Simonstone (Simmunsten)
My first thought when seeing this village on Google Maps was... who is Simon? And what is so special about his stone?
It is of course pronounced Simmunsten, which, like Oswaldtwistle, is only one of those things you know by being from there - or being reprimanded by a resident!
Euxton – (Ek-Stn)
The southern in me came out in this one, as I realised it is not pronounced like the train station, actually far from it.
Whilst a small indication of the C/K would have been appreciated, I feel this is more understandable.
Foul-ridge - (Foal-Ridge)
Confident in pronouncing the words foul and ridge, I was certain I was onto a winner here.
And whilst I definitely got the ridge bit right, foal did not spring to mind!
Padiham – (Pa-Dee-Uhm)
Sometimes you have just got to throw your hands up and say, that is my bad.
Despite there being no indication that there is an ing, in the spelling – I almost always put one in.
If you think we have missed one or I have indeed fallen into bad habits, then please feel free to add it and berate me in the comments section.
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