United States

Illinois City Among Most Mispronounced in US: Report

Pronunciation can be a tricky subject – especially when the age old advice of “sounding it out” doesn’t work.

That becomes clear when looking at how people pronounced different places across the country. According to Business Insider, which asked locals for the proper pronunciations of debated names, there are several "place names" in the United States that often trip folks up. 

And one of those places sits in Illinois –no, it’s not the state itself (silent “s” for those reading this).

Beyond the common mispronunciation of Oregon and Nevada, Cairo in southern Illinois is also on the list.

For the record, it’s pronounced kay-ro, according to Business Insider.

Another Midwest location that draws plenty of debate is Mackinac Island.

“Don’t let that final C fool you: the last syllable is pronounced ‘naw,’” the report states.

See the full list here.

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