What's the Most Mispronounced Place in Pennsylvania?

While many places battle for the top spot, the one name that consistently trips up outsiders, news anchors, and even GPS systems more than any other is Schuylkill.

The Reigning Champion: Schuylkill

This isn't just a small, obscure town. The Schuylkill is a major 135-mile-long river, a county, and, most famously, the name of the notoriously gridlocked expressway (I-76) that runs through Philadelphia. Because it's so central to the state's largest city, it's mispronounced by thousands of people every day.

• The Trap: The "Sch" at the beginning and the "y" and "ll" at the end create total confusion.
• Common Mispronunciations: "SHOOL-kill," "SKY-kill," "SKULL-kill"
• The Correct Local Pronunciation: SKOO-kull (The "Sch" makes an "Sk" sound, and the "kill" is softened to "kull.")

The name is actually Dutch in origin, from Schuylkill or "hidden river," a name given by early Dutch explorers.

The "How to Sound Like a Local" Test: 9 Runners-Up

If you can master "Schuylkill," you're halfway there. Here are the other classic pronunciation traps that separate the locals (or "yinzers" and "jawn-users") from the tourists.

1. Lancaster

• The Trap: It's not like Lancaster, California. This is the ultimate "newscaster test."
• The Outsider: Lan-CAST-er
• The Local: LANK-iss-ter (Emphasis on the first syllable, "cast" becomes "kiss.")

2. Bala Cynwyd

• The Trap: This Welsh name in the Philly suburbs is perhaps the most non-intuitive of all.
• The Outsider: Bah-lah SIN-wid
• The Local: Bah-lah KIN-wood (The "C" is hard, and the "wyd" is pronounced "wood.")

3. DuBois

• The Trap: It's a French name, so visitors logically try to pronounce it that way.
• The Outsider: Doo-BWAH
• The Local: DOO-boyss (They pronounce the "s" at the end, loud and clear.)

4. North Versailles

• The Trap: Another French name, just like the palace near Paris.
• The Outsider: North Ver-SYE
• The Local: North Ver-SALES (Like the store.)

5. Wilkes-Barre

• The Trap: The hyphen and the "e" at the end are confusing.
• The Outsider: Wilks-Barr-ee
• The Local: Wilks-Bair (Like the animal, "bear.")

6. Lititz

• The Trap: A simple-looking name that people often overthink or mis-emphasize.
• The Outsider: Lih-TITS
• The Local: LIT-its

7. Ephrata

• The Trap: Similar to Lititz, the emphasis is everything.
• The Outsider: Ee-FRAY-tah
• The Local: EF-ruh-tah

8. Youghiogheny

• The Trap: A mouthful of a Native American name for a major river in Western PA.
• The Outsider: (Usually just a long, confused stare)
• The Local: Yock-ih-GAY-nee

9. Philadelphia

• The Trap: A bonus one. While everyone knows how to say the name, you can still spot a non-local.
• The Outsider: Phil-a-DEL-phee-ah (Four distinct syllables.)
• The Local: F'l-DEL-f'ya (More of a three-syllable mumble, often with a "Ph" sound closer to an "F.")