The Morris Dancer's Pronouncing Gazetteer

More recently I heard -- incorrectly, it appears -- that the border morris village of Evesham is pronounced "Evsham".

At this point, I decided to turn to the MDDL for help, asking:

OK, how many other morris village/town/metropolitan area names aren't pronounced the way they look? Would some kind English-speaking person care to supply a pronouncing gazetteer for us Americans, or are you all too busy sniggering behind our backs?

In response, a correspondant who wishes to remain nameless (I'll call him j____ p____) wrote:

Why would we snigger behind your backs when it is more fun to ridicule you to your faces?

I've always heard "Eveshm".

Personally, I don't believe there is such a thing as "correct" pronunciation of place names. As long as you are prepared for the occasional patronising smile, it matters only that you are understood.

One might say that the correct way is the way the locals say it - but in Shropshire, even the locals have three ways of pronouncing Shrewsbury - "Shrowse berry", "Shrews berry" and "Shoos bry". (This is one reason why Craven Arms is so popular internationally - a single, obvious pronunciation.)

There is no way even an Englishman can guess the pronunciation of some place names. When we were in Dorset for the Ring Meeting, we visited a village named Puncknowle, which is pronounced "Punle". You have to be local to know that.

Having said all that, if you're American and you want to sound "in the know" as far as morris place names are concerned, you might like to observe:

• Abingdn [1]
• Adderberry
• Bamptn
• Bidferd
• Bledingtn
• Bromsbera Heath
• Bucknl
• Chipping Camdn
• Ducklingtn
• Eveshm
• Enshm
• Headingtn
• Hintn
• Ilmingtn
• Kirtlingtn
• Lemster
• Longbra
• Oddingtn
• Uptn
• Webley

You would do well, also, to observe:

• Glostersheer
• Hereferdsheer
• Lestersheer
• Woostersheer (short oo as in "look")

As they say on the newsgroups "Hope this helps".