RALEIGH, N.C. — It has been said that North Carolina is a highway full of pronunciation potholes.
Peruse a map or gazeteer and you soon realize the Tar Heel state is full of unusual names.
If there is one rule to remember about North Carolina pronunciations, it is do not get too fancy. Sometimes it is better to swallow a syllable than to overenunciate.
Here is a guide to some of the most commonly mispronounced towns in the state and a guide to help say them correctly.
Do you have a town to add to our list?
Let us know!
Accented syllable in
CAPS
Forsyth: for-SYTH
Concord: KON-KORD
Beaufort: BOE-furt
Conetoe: kuh-NEE-tuh
Salisbury: SAULS-bair-ee
Bertie: BURR-TEE
Tyrrell: TAIR-uhl
Bahama: ba-HAY-ma
Corolla: ka-RAH-la
Chalybeate Springs: ka-LIB-e-ut
Appalachian: ap-a-LATCH-un
Watauga: wah-TAW-guh
Catawba: kuh-TAW-buh
Kure Beach: KUR-ee
Wendell: WEN-DELL
Stovall: STOE-vuhl
Norlina: nor-LY-na
Fuquay-Varina: FEW-kway vuh-REE-nah
Zebulon: ZEB-yoo-lun
Ahoskie: ah-HOSS-kee
Chowan: CHOE-WAHN
Robeson: ROB-uh-sun
Rodanthe: roe-DAN-the
Bodie Islandd: BOD-ee (like body)
Harnett: HAR-net
Cashiers: KASH-urs
Mebane: MEB-un
Chocowinity: chock-uh-WIN-uh-tee
Cabarrus: ka-BAIR-us
Perquimans: purr-KWIH-muns
Iredell: EYE-ur-dell
More names added:
Moncure: mahn-KURE
Lucama: loo-KAH-ma
Pocomoke: POE-ka-moke
Severn: SEV-ren
Advance: AD-vance
Duplin: DOO-plin
Kerr Lake: KAR (sounds like tar)
Castalia: kas-TALE-ya
Saxapahaw: SAX-pa-haw (locals drop second syllable)
Beautancus: boe-TANK-us
Kittrell: KIT-trull
Leicester: LESS-tur
Topsail: TOP-suhl
Hiddenite: HID-nite (locals drop second syllable)
Chicamacomico: CHICK-uh-ma-KOM-uh-koe
