THE WORLD GEOGRAPHY: 10 of the World's Most Mispronounced Places

Nothing can make a traveller feel more clueless than mispronouncing the name of a local destination, but it’s easily done. . .

1. Oaxaca, Mexico

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For non-Spanish speakers, the chances of mangling this one are pretty high. Just remember that there’s no “hoax” in Oaxaca and that Osaka is in Japan. The correct way to say it is “Wah-ha-ca”.

2. Cobh, Ireland

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Even the simplest of names can be deceptive. Keep in mind that it’s on an island, not in a cornfield, so pronounce it “Cove”, not “Cob.”

3. Ptuj, Slovenia

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The residents of Ptuj must get tired of hearing the name of this pretty town get butchered over and over again. When pronounced correctly, it sounds like a dainty sneeze: “P-too-ee”.

4. Wauchope, Australia

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If you want to give the locals a good laugh, refer to this as “War-choppy”. The real pronunciation is actually “War-hope.”

5. Hjo, Sweden

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The correct pronunciation of the town on the banks of Lake Vattern is "You".

6. La Jolla, California, US

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What does the sport of boxing have in common with beautiful La Jolla, California? Not much except to get this one right, you need to rhyme it with the boxer, Oscar de la Hoya.

7. Coxsackie, New York, US

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When trying to pronounce Coxsackie, don’t think of Courteney Cox but what her character on “Friends” did for a living - cook. So in this part of the world, just think “Cook-sock-ee”!

8. Phuket, Thailand

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This is definitely not a good one to learn the hard way and to make it even more difficult, advice on the correct way to pronounce it can vary. To avoid scowls, general disdain, and possibly worse, go with “Pu-get”.

9. Mooball, Australia