Without knowing it, you might be pronouncing the names of many famous locales incorrectly. Places like Bangkok, Melbourne, and Colombia all sound much different when spoken by someone from there.Thrillophilia, an online marketplace for tours and activities, compiled a list of of countries, cities, and destinations that many of us probably say wrong. It features a side-by-side comparison of the common, incorrect pronunciation juxtaposed with how the locals say it.
This fascinating and often surprising list is also helpful. Everything is spelled phonetically, so you can sound out both the correct (as well as incorrect) pronunciations. It's great if you're planning on traveling to any of these places. Knowing how to properly say the name of your destination might avoid potential embarrassment later. But, even if you don't say “Phuket” exactly right, your efforts will probably be appreciated by the people that live there.
Check out Thrillophilia's entire list 32 of commonly-mispronounced places.
Above: Bangkok, Thailand
Beijing, China
Worcestershire, UK
Colombia
Yosemite National Park, USA
Dubai, UAE
Versailles, France
Iraq
Reykjavik, Iceland
Kissimee, Florida, USA
Phuket, Thailand
Melbourne, Australia
Pakistan
Montreal, Canada
