CONNECTICUT - Welcome to Connecticut, where the town names look familiar, but the pronunciations will catch you completely off guard. The state’s map is a minefield of English names that defy their original pronunciation, Native American words that have been squeezed into new forms, and towns that look identical to world-famous cities but sound nothing like them. If you want to blend in, you have to learn to speak like a local, and that means forgetting what you think you know.
While there are many contenders, the title for the most mispronounced town goes to a place that uses a "stress test" to identify outsiders instantly.
The Winner: Berlin
Correct Pronunciation: BER-lin
You see the name. You know the capital of Germany. You confidently say Ber-LIN, placing the stress on the second syllable. And just like that, everyone in the room knows you're not from here.
In Connecticut, the name of the town at the state's geographic center is pronounced BER-lin, with all the emphasis stacked firmly on the first syllable. It rhymes with "merlin." Locals are so accustomed to the error that you'll be corrected before you can even finish your sentence.
The Runner-Up: Norwich
Correct Pronunciation: NOR-wich
This is a classic "silent letter" trap. Visitors, especially those unfamiliar with old English names, see "Norwich" and dutifully pronounce the 'w', saying NOR-witch.
Locals, however, drop it completely. The name is pronounced NOR-wich, as if it rhymes with "porridge." This is one of the many names (like Worcester in Massachusetts) that Connecticut shares with England, and it has kept the traditional, clipped pronunciation.
The "Same Word, Different Sound" Hall of Fame
These are the places that take a word you already know and change the rules entirely.
1. The Thames River
Correct Pronunciation: THAYMZ This is perhaps the most famous trap in the state. If you call it the Tems River, like the one in London, you will be met with blank stares. In Connecticut, the river that flows through New London and Groton is the THAYMZ—it rhymes with "James."
2. Cheshire
Correct Pronunciation: CHESH-er. No, this is not where the "Cheshire Cat" is from. That would be Che-SHIRE. In Connecticut, the town is simply CHESH-er, rhyming with "tester."
3. Salisbury
Correct Pronunciation: SAWLZ-berry Forget the "Salisbury Steak" you grew up with. In the northwest corner of the state, the 'a' is soft, and the 'i' is silent. It's SAWLZ-berry, not SAL-is-bury.
The "Alphabet Soup" Section
These towns look confusing from the start.
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Southington: The 'o' in "South" is not pronounced like the direction. It is SUTH-ing-ton, as in "southern."
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Naugatuck: This Native American name isn't as complicated as it looks, but it trips people up. It is NAW-guh-tuck.
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Versailles: Just like in Pennsylvania, Connecticut has its own Versailles (a village in the town of Sprague), and they also refuse to speak French. It is not Ver-SIGH. It is Ver-SAILS.
The Verdict
In Connecticut, the rules are simple: the stress is probably on the first syllable, the 'w's are often silent, and if it's named after a famous European place, you are almost certainly saying it wrong. When in doubt, point at the map. But if you have to ask for directions, make sure you're heading to BER-lin.
