Here are 10 South Carolina town names that’ll make your GPS have an existential crisis, with their correct pronunciations and a bit of background:
Cayce (KAY-see)
Often mispronounced phonetically, this city near Columbia is pronounced “KAY-see” by locals.
Chapin (CHAY-pin)
This small town’s name sounds like “CHAY-pin,” not as it appears to outsiders.
Chappells (CHAP-uls)
Pronounced like “chaples,” with a silent double “l,” this Newberry County town trips up many newcomers.
Guignard (GIN-yard or GIN-yurd)
Locals differ on this one, with the “g” hard and the vowel sound somewhere between the “i” in “instant” and “gingko.”
Hobcaw (HOB-caw)
A Lowcountry name with the “Hob” sounding like “Bob.” Often misread by tourists unfamiliar with Southern words.
Horry (OR-ee or OH-ree)
The “h” is silent here, which is surprising for many. This coastal county is home to Myrtle Beach.
Laurens (LAWR-enz)
The emphasis is on the first syllable with a soft “r,” not “LAW-rens” as outsiders might say.
Legare (luh-GREE)
A tricky one, it often sounds like “luh-GARE” but locals say “luh-GREE” with a soft “g.”
Lobeco (luh-BEE-koh)
This town’s name blends syllables in a way that confounds many first-time readers.
Newry (NEAR-ee)
Locals pronounce it “NEAR-ee,” contrasting the literal phonetic reading that outsiders often use.
These names reflect South Carolina’s rich Northeast, Lowcountry, and French influences that result in pronunciations often baffling to outsiders. Trying to say them right on the first try is a challenge that even modern GPS systems often fail to master.
Sources
(https://www.sciway.net/ccr/sc-pronunciations.html)
(https://beaufortdistrictcollectionconnections.blogspot.com/2008/05/correct-mispronunciations-of-some-south.html)
(https://chstoday.6amcity.com/street-name-pronunciation-guide-charleston-sc)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsAyKqsObjc)
(https://www.southernthing.com/we-try-to-pronounce-south-carolina-town-names-2633688767.html)
