Mississippi is home to plenty of places with unusual, difficult-to-say names. One side effect of that is residents with a knack for pronouncing some tough words. If you’re a native or longtime resident of the Magnolia State, you might not even notice this ability anymore, but it does exist. Need proof? Read on for 9 words that only Mississippians can pronounce.
- Gautier
Capt. Kathy Wilkinson With meandering bayous, stunning waterfront locales, and plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities, this coastal city has come to be known as “nature’s playground.” It’s also known by its name, which, depending on who you ask, is pronounced GO-chay or GO-shay.
- Tchoutacabouffa River
Gilbert Holland/Only In Mississippi Facebook When it comes to pronunciation, it doesn’t get much harder than this tongue twister of a name, which, by the way, is CHOO-tah-kah-BUH-fuh.
- Louisville
Kaldari/Wikimedia At first glance, this one seems easy enough, but things aren’t always what they seem. Unlike its Kentucky counterpart, this Mississippi city is pronounced LEW-iss-vill.
- Nanih Waiya
Shawn Rossi/Flickr This ancient Indian mound attracts visitors from near and far, yet most have no idea how to say its name. And just to make sure you’re not one of those people, it’s pronounced na-NUH wah-yuh.
- Natchez
Visit Natchez/Facebook Think the correct pronunciation of this river city is pretty obvious? Think again. True Mississippians say natch-uss, whereas outsiders pronounce it how it looks, nat-chezz.
- Kiln
Amin Eshaiker/Wikimedia Kiln is another one that seems obvious but isn’t. In addition to the “n” being silent, area residents throw a “the” in front of the name, referring to it as “the Kill.”
- Hushpuckena
Chillin662Wikipedia If you’re not from Mississippi (heck, even if you are), the name of this Bolivar County community is sure to have you scratching your head. The moniker, which has Native American roots, is pronounced hush-PUCK-na.
- Yockanookany River
Wikimedia Another name with Native American roots, the Yockanookany River extends for about 78 miles through the central part of the state. Luckily, you don’t have to know how to say the river’s name to enjoy it. But just in case it ever comes up, it’s pronounced yock-ah-NOOK-ahnee.
- Bogue Chitto Water Park
southernchelz/TripAdvisor This McComb water park has a lot to offer, including a name that some (i.e. out-of-towners) would consider difficult to pronounce. But if you’re from the Magnolia State, then you know the correct pronunciation is bow-guh chit-uh.
So, did you know how to pronounce all of the places listed above? Have another difficult name to add? Tell us in the comments section.
Capt. Kathy Wilkinson
With meandering bayous, stunning waterfront locales, and plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities, this coastal city has come to be known as “nature’s playground.” It’s also known by its name, which, depending on who you ask, is pronounced GO-chay or GO-shay.
Gilbert Holland/Only In Mississippi Facebook
When it comes to pronunciation, it doesn’t get much harder than this tongue twister of a name, which, by the way, is CHOO-tah-kah-BUH-fuh.
Kaldari/Wikimedia
At first glance, this one seems easy enough, but things aren’t always what they seem. Unlike its Kentucky counterpart, this Mississippi city is pronounced LEW-iss-vill.
Shawn Rossi/Flickr
This ancient Indian mound attracts visitors from near and far, yet most have no idea how to say its name. And just to make sure you’re not one of those people, it’s pronounced na-NUH wah-yuh.
Visit Natchez/Facebook
Think the correct pronunciation of this river city is pretty obvious? Think again. True Mississippians say natch-uss, whereas outsiders pronounce it how it looks, nat-chezz.
Amin Eshaiker/Wikimedia
Kiln is another one that seems obvious but isn’t. In addition to the “n” being silent, area residents throw a “the” in front of the name, referring to it as “the Kill.”
Chillin662Wikipedia
If you’re not from Mississippi (heck, even if you are), the name of this Bolivar County community is sure to have you scratching your head. The moniker, which has Native American roots, is pronounced hush-PUCK-na.
Wikimedia
Another name with Native American roots, the Yockanookany River extends for about 78 miles through the central part of the state. Luckily, you don’t have to know how to say the river’s name to enjoy it. But just in case it ever comes up, it’s pronounced yock-ah-NOOK-ahnee.
southernchelz/TripAdvisor
This McComb water park has a lot to offer, including a name that some (i.e. out-of-towners) would consider difficult to pronounce. But if you’re from the Magnolia State, then you know the correct pronunciation is bow-guh chit-uh.
Did you enjoy this article? Be sure to check out “13 Silly Sayings That Will Only Make Sense If You’re From Mississippi.“
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