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


Kansas might be known for wheat fields, tornadoes, and college basketball rivalries, but its biggest challenge for outsiders is figuring out how to say its town names correctly. Thanks to a mix of Native American, French, and just plain Kansas logic, some of these names sound nothing like they look. If you can say them all without hesitation, congratulations—you’re either a true Kansan or you’ve spent way too much time driving across I-70.

14 Words Only True Kansans Can Pronounce

Kansas (KAN-zuhs)

Just don’t try saying it like “Arkansas” or you’ll start a fight.

Olathe (Oh-LAY-thuh)

If you say “Oh-LATH,” you’re definitely not from here.

Osawatomie (Oh-suh-WAT-uh-mee)

If you can say it fast, you’ve probably got Jayhawker roots.

Cimarron (SIM-uh-ron)

If you say “See-mah-ron,” you’re getting some side-eye.

Chautauqua (Shuh-TAW-kwuh)

The spelling alone is enough to make an outsider panic.

Neodesha (Nee-oh-DAY-shuh)

Looks nothing like it sounds, which is very on-brand for Kansas.

Eudora (You-DOOR-uh)

Not hard, but you have to say it with confidence.

Arkansas River (Ar-KAN-zuhs River)

If you pronounce it like the state, you’ve just disqualified yourself from being a Kansan.

Salina (Suh-LIE-nuh)

Say it like a true Kansan, not like the Texas city (Suh-LEE-nuh).

Wamego (Wah-MEE-go)

Home of all things Wizard of Oz, but no magic needed for pronunciation.

Coffeyville (COFF-ee-vill)

Say it right or risk being chased out by history buffs.

Hays (Haze)

This one’s easy, but bonus points if you’ve actually been snowed in there.

Atchison (ATCH-uh-sun)

Where Amelia Earhart was born, and where outsiders stumble over the name.

Parsons (PAR-suns)

If you’ve heard of it, you’re either from Kansas or really into railroads.

If you got all of these right, congratulations—you’ve earned the right to complain about the wind, argue about which BBQ is the best, and explain to outsiders that Kansas City isn’t actually in Kansas (well, at least not most of it). For everyone else, just smile, nod, and let a local handle the pronunciation—preferably over a plate of burnt ends.

The post If You Can Pronounce These 14 Words, You’ve Lived in Kansas Too Long appeared first on When In Your State.



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