How do you pronouce Southwark?
How do you pronouce Southwark?
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Discussion

Sarah_W

Original Poster:

288 posts

201 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Suthark or South Walk?

MrV

2,748 posts

249 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
quotequote all
Sarah_W said:
Suthark or South Walk?
First one

Puggit

49,397 posts

269 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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More like Suth-erk

GC8

19,910 posts

211 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Sutherk indeed.

james_tigerwoods

16,344 posts

218 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Go there and say "South-wark" loudly and often - see if you get slapped.

I used to live in Greenhill, Sheffield - I used to refer to it as "Greenhill" until I was loudly and abusively corrected as to its correct pronunciation which, apparently, is "Grenul" - or something like that anyway.

Sarah_W

Original Poster:

288 posts

201 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
quotequote all
james_tigerwoods said:
Go there and say "South-wark" loudly and often - see if you get slapped.

I used to live in Greenhill, Sheffield - I used to refer to it as "Greenhill" until I was loudly and abusively corrected as to its correct pronunciation which, apparently, is "Grenul" - or something like that anyway.
Great - thanks folks... I* can now avoid going there and getting a slap ;-)

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

219 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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st-hole I believe is the correct pronunciation.

djohnson

3,639 posts

244 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Sarah_W said:
Great - thanks folks... I* can now avoid going there and getting a slap ;-)
I'd just avoid going there.

escargot

17,122 posts

238 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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james_tigerwoods said:
Go there and say "South-wark" loudly and often - see if you get slapped.

I used to live in Greenhill, Sheffield - I used to refer to it as "Greenhill" until I was loudly and abusively corrected as to its correct pronunciation which, apparently, is "Grenul" - or something like that anyway.
That's how they spell it too up there. Peasants.

davido140

9,614 posts

247 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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what about marylebone, never been sure on that one since monopoly as a child! smile

marly bone

mary le bone

marl bone


CWAC

29,977 posts

272 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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suv-urk

Puggit

49,397 posts

269 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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davido140 said:
what about marylebone, never been sure on that one since monopoly as a child! smile

marly bone
Is the correct one!

james_tigerwoods

16,344 posts

218 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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CWAC said:
suv-urk
nono

It's "Sav-urk, mate"

Getragdogleg

9,772 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Try some of the place names around me.

Mousehole (mouzle)
Barripper (bripper)
Perranzabuloe (just mumble it and try to ignore the Z)

and the one it is impossible to say without sounding Cornish : Perranarworthal

Edited by Getragdogleg on Thursday 21st May 10:01

Fats25

6,260 posts

250 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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My Mrs is from Maghull - which apparently you do not say as it is spelt. Should be Ma-goole.

I got my own back though when we moved and had these two places:-

Trottiscliffe - Trues-ley
Meopham - Mepp-am

mmm-five

12,005 posts

305 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
quotequote all
Fats25 said:
My Mrs is from Maghull - which apparently you do not say as it is spelt. Should be Ma-goole.

I got my own back though when we moved and had these two places:-

Trottiscliffe - Trues-ley
Meopham - Mepp-am
Everyone else in Maghull pronounces it as m'gul.

james_tigerwoods

16,344 posts

218 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Fats25 said:
Trottiscliffe - Trues-ley
Eh? How the F does that work?

Einion Yrth

19,575 posts

265 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Happisburgh - Hayesburu

Fats25

6,260 posts

250 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
quotequote all
mmm-five said:
Fats25 said:
My Mrs is from Maghull - which apparently you do not say as it is spelt. Should be Ma-goole.

I got my own back though when we moved and had these two places:-

Trottiscliffe - Trues-ley
Meopham - Mepp-am
Everyone else in Maghull pronounces it as m'gul.
You are right.

Different accent meant I spelt it differently phonetically! Now I have read your version - it is more accurate.


james_tigerwoods said:
Fats25 said:
Trottiscliffe - Trues-ley
Eh? How the F does that work?
Ready for the really boring answer now......

There used to be a big manor house called Trosley House (that I believe was bought by a Chinese person before WW2 and demolished for the marble that was shipped back to China, and then site was hit by a plane during WW2), located in Trottiscliffe. Trosley house was on Trosley road that runs through Trottiscliffe.

Trosley was pronounced Trues-ley

As generations have gone by people have pronounced their town, as the name of the road that runs through it. So the pronunciation has changed so much that everyone that lives in the area knows Trottiscliffe as Trues-ley (Trosley).

So when strangers turn up and pronounce it as Trottiscliffe, the locals look at you as if you are a thicko - when in fact the strangers actually "probably" call it by the correct name.

Probably a lot of places with similar tales as to how the pronunciation of places have changed. I know people that have changed the pronunciation of their own names, but spelling has remained the same - but for next generation they will know no different so name sticks.


ThatPhilBrettGuy

11,810 posts

261 months

Thursday 21st May 2009
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Try getting Cholmondeley right if you didn't happen to know it wink