How to say the names of places in the UK

Hi there, and welcome back to engVid. In this video you are going to learn how to pronounce

some of the harder-to-pronounce places in the U.K. So, useful if you're planning a trip

here, or if you're doing an IELTS speaking test and would like to refer to places in

the U.K. Let's have a look at some guidelines, and then a little bit later we're going to

look at some of the places that don't quite fit the rules.

So, with a place ending with: "borough" or "burgh", you would expect it to sound: "borough"

or "burgh", but that's not what happens. It's normally shortened to something like: "bra".

For example: "Edinburgh", "Edinbra", "Edinbra", "Edinbra", got it? Okay? Not: "Edinborough",

okay?

Second one, with a place ending in "cester", you shorten it to "sta". For example, it's

not: "Bicester", it's: "Bicesta", "Bicesta". There is an exception, here, with: "Cirencester",

which is a lovely place out in the west of England. "Cirencester", not "Cirensta". Okay?

"Cirencester", that's an exception, there.

Next, on to counties. So, a county where... The U.K. is divided up into different region

called counties. Lots of these end with "shire", the shire, the countryside, but we pronounce

it actually: "shur". For example: "Devonshire", "Devonsha", not: "Devonshire".

This one is particularly tricky to pronounce: "Worcestershire", "Wosteshur". So, basically

what we're doing is we're going: "Wost", and then we're abbreviating that: "Woste", "Wosteshur",

and then we're putting a "u" in here. "Worcestershire". You still with me? Good stuff, keep the concentration.

Now, "wich" often goes to "ich", so we're just going to be taking out that "w" there.

"Wich" goes to "ich". "Norwich", "Norich", it's not: "Nor-wich", okay? "Norich". It's

a lovely place in the east of England, beautiful cathedral, and my uncle is an estate agent,

so go and say: "Hi."

On to places ending in "mouth". Obviously going to be places by the sea. For example...

Can you spot my little mistake, here? Shouldn't be an "f", it should be a "th". A subtle difference,

but important to get right. So it's: "Teignmuth" not "Teignmouth". Okay? "Teignmuth", it's

a shorter vowel sound; we're not doing the sort of the "o", it's a "Teignmuth". So that's

down in Devon, very scenic place in the southwest of the U.K.

"Ham" goes to "um". For example, it's not: "Durham", it's: "Duram", so you're effectively

losing that "h". "Durham", beautiful place in the northeast of England, very strong university

in Durham. Right.

"Wick" goes to "ick". For example, if I put the whole spelling of: "Berwick-upon Tweed",

you can see that we are missing this "w" out, so it becomes: "Berick-upon Tweed". Nice coastal

town, again, near the border with Scotland in the northeast of the U.K. Okay? Let's have

a look at a few more anomalies and some exceptions to the rules.

I'm also going to be pointing out, with these exceptions, some excellent places to visit

in the U.K. There's so many different exceptions, but the places listed here are worth checking

out if you're coming to the U.K.

"Tor", you would expect it to say: "quay", something like that, but it's actually: "Torkey",

"Torkey", and the same would apply for "Newquay".

This place in Norfolk, you might expect it to be: "Hunstanton", but actually you miss

out the "tan" and it becomes: "Hunston".

This is a place I went on honeymoon down in Cornwall. What do you think it says? "Mousehole"?

It's not, it's: "Mousol", a lovely fishing village down in Cornwall.

Again in Cornwall, what do you think: "Fowey"? "Foey", okay? Maybe it's helpful to think

of there being no "w".

Hopefully most of you have heard of this university town in the east of England, it's not: "Cambridge",

it's: "Camebridge".

Now, down in Dorset, we have: "Beaminster", okay? It's not "Beaminster", it's: "Beminster".

On the south coast of England it might look like it's called: "Bosham", but it's actually:

"Bosam", "Bosam". Quite fun to say that one. "Bosham", a very exclusive place down on the

south coast. I had a mud fight there before a wedding, and then smelt quite bad during

the wedding.

This is where my Granny lives, it's not: "Bungay", it's: "Bungee", "Bungee". Not a huge amount

recommending a trip to Bungay, unless you're going to go visit my Gran and take her some

cake.

This is in Devon: "Bridestowe", no. It's: "Bridehstow", "Bridehstow".

Now, two colleges at Cambridge and at Oxford, you might think it's called: "Magdalen", but

we actually pronounce it: "Maudlin", "Maudlin College". Some wonderful academics that have

graduated from there.

Now moving on to Scotland and Wales, we could do a whole other video on Scottish and Welsh

pronunciation, but just time for two in this video. What do you think this is pronounced?

"Kirkcudbright"? It's actually: "Kirkoobree", "Kirkoobree".

And now, in Wales, you look at a map of Wales and there'll be all sorts of places you'll

have no idea how to pronounce, but just one surprising one for this video. What do you

think? "Llandudno"? It's actually: "Clandidno".

I hope you've enjoyed watching today's video. Do remember to do the quiz afterwards to test

your pronunciation. And above all, try to come and visit the U.K., and speak to locals,

and try out your new pronunciation. Thank you. Good bye.