If You Can Pronounce These 14 Words, You’ve Lived in Indiana Too Long

Indiana might be known for basketball, cornfields, and the Indy 500, but its true test of residency is knowing how to pronounce its trickiest town names. Thanks to a mix of Native American, French, and pure Hoosier logic, some of these words look nothing like they sound. If you can say them all correctly, congratulations—you might just be a true Hoosier (and you probably have strong opinions on tenderloins).

14 Words Only True Hoosiers Can Pronounce

Indiana (IN-dee-AN-uh)

If you say “In-dee-AH-nuh,” you’re trying too hard.

Terre Haute (Terra HOTE or Terra HUT)

Say it like a local, not like a French scholar.

Vigo County (VEE-go)

If you say “VY-go,” you’ve just outed yourself as an outsider.

LaPorte (Luh-PORT)

Keep it simple, Hoosier style.

Loogootee (Luh-GO-dee)

Looks like a typo, sounds like Indiana.

Bicknell (BICK-null)

If you add extra syllables, you’re doing it wrong.

Gnaw Bone (Naw Bone)

Yes, that’s the actual name, and no, we don’t question it.

Russiaville (ROO-shuh-vill)

Sorry, Russia, but we say it our way.

Brazil (Bruh-ZILL)

Nothing tropical about it.

Dubois (DOO-boys)

The French gave up trying to correct us long ago.

Michigantown (MISH-ee-gun-town)

Not to be confused with that other state we don’t talk about.

Trafalgar (Truh-FAL-ger)

If you say it like the British do, you’re getting weird looks.

Whiteland (WHITE-lund)

Don’t overthink it; just say it fast.

Cayuga (Kay-YOO-guh)

A final test for your Hoosier credentials.

If you got all of these right, you’ve officially earned the right to call yourself a Hoosier. You know that basketball is a religion, calling it “supper” instead of “dinner” is normal, and that construction season never actually ends. For everyone else, just listen, nod, and let the locals do the talking—preferably over a plate of biscuits and gravy.

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