A language learning platform app has put together the top 10 most commonly mispronounced places in Toronto, mostly street names, that it found people have a hard time pronouncing “correctly.”
Preply.com, an e-learning app based in the U.S. that connects people with tutors, said it used Google search data where users searched “how to pronounce …” and around correct pronunciation for its list.
“There’s nothing more embarrassing than getting to a new city and mispronouncing its name in front of a local — especially if you butcher the regional accent,” Amy Pritchett, learning success manager at Preply, said.
“To avoid that awkward encounter, we’ve researched the most commonly mispronounced places in Toronto so you never have to worry about these tongue twisters again,” Pritchett said.
The city itself, Toronto, ranked as the most mispronounced name, as Preply argued the correct version is “tuh-ronno” and not “toe-ron-toe” which the latter emphasizes the second “t.”
Most Torontonians have dropped enunciating the second “t” and Preply said: “it’s Toronno. Or Churrano. Pronouncing the second “T” in Toronto sounds pretentious, and it’s a dead giveaway that you don’t live in Toronto.”
Here is their list for the top 10 most “mispronounced names” linked to Toronto.
1. Toronto. Correct: tuh-ronno. Incorrect: toe-ron-toe.
2. Geoffrey. Correct: jeh-free. Incorrect: gee-off-free.
“Moving over to the west end of Toronto, Geoffrey is another residential street name pronounced differently than how you spell it. Don’t pronounce Geoffrey with a beginning “Geo” like Geoff, nor is the “Ji” sound like “George.” Instead, Geoffrey pronounced with a beginning “Jeh” like “Jeffery,” Preply said.
3. Etobicoke. Correct: et-toh-bee-co. Incorrect: et-a-ba-co-key.
“The “k” is silent. We know you’ve lived here long enough to say “Etobico” instead of pronouncing it Etobi-COKE. (Also, home of the first-ever Colonel Sam Smith Skating Trail in Toronto). The Etobicoke name with its bizarre silent “k” is derived from the Ojibwe word “wadoopikaang,” which refers to a place where alder trees grow,” Preply said.
4. Yonge. Correct: young. Incorrect: YUN-ji.
“It’s pronounced Young Street. Please don’t make it Yonj St. or try to make it rhyme with “sponge.” The Guinness Book of Records once stated Yonge Street as the longest street in the world!” Preply said.
5. Wellesley. Correct: WELLZ-ly. Incorrect: well-LESS-ly.
“Wellesley is a downtown Toronto artery with its subway station. If you are a TTC commuter in Toronto, it will be hard to avoid this word: WELLZ-ley. Not WellLESS-ly,” Preply said.
6. Grosvenor. Correct: gro-vner. Incorrect: gross-vee-nor.
“Okay, ’fess up. Some of you pronounce it Gross-vee-nor, but can we agree that the “s” is silent and should sound like Grov-ner? Let’s all pretend to be English and say “gro-vner” almost like ‘guv-ner’!” Preply said.
7. The Esplanade. Correct: thuh esplan-aad. Incorrect: thuh esplan-AID.
“So, be honest. Do you call it Esplan-AID rather than its proper name, Esplan-aad?” Preply said.
8. Strachan. Correct: strawn. Incorrect: strak-en.
“The name of this street running from the lake to Trinity Bellwoods Park is Strawn — not Strack-an, according to Heritage Toronto. Rhymes with yawn,” Preply said.
9. Spadina. Correct: spuh-dee-nah. Incorrect: spuh-die-nah.
“Most Torontonians pronounce Spadina as “spuh-die-nah,” but the funny thing is that you should pronounce it as “spuh-dee-nah.” That’s the historical pronunciation of it anyway!” Preply said.
10. Roncesvalles. Correct: rawn-SES-vay-yez. Incorrect: rawn-SEZ-vales.
“Some say Rawn-sez-valls; others insist that it ends with “vale.” Others give up and call it Roncy. It’s a Spanish word that got shifted over here. Try this on for size: Rrrrrrrawn-ses-vay-yez,” Preply said.
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