The Guardian Australia: From 'Res-er-vwah' to 'Lawnceston': butchering the names of places Australians call home
This article discusses place names around Australia that are not spelt phonetically, and are therefore frequently mispronounced by non-locals.
Students could use these examples to illustrate how in-group membership can be built by local speakers who know the correct pronunciation for a place name. Outsiders unknowingly reveal themselves when they mispronounce these words.
Students can also use this as an opportunity to show off their knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in their essay writing.
Reservoir = /ˈrezəvɔː/
Vermont = /ˈvɜːmɒnt/ (as opposed to the US state /vəˈmɒnt/)
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