We Know You’re Not From Pennsylvania If You Mispronounce These 12 Names

Pennsylvania is full of history, hoagies, and highways that will test your suspension and your sanity—but nothing exposes an outsider faster than messing up a town name. With a mix of Native American, German, and “we’ve-just-always-said-it-that-way” origins, Pennsylvania place names are less about logic and more about surviving in a state where Wawa is sacred and road names are a contact sport. Mispronounce one of these, and someone in a Flyers jersey will correct you between bites of a soft pretzel.

1. Lancaster (LANG-kiss-ter, not Lan-CAS-ter)

Say it fast and flat—or prepare for Amish-level judgment.

2. Reading (REDD-ing, not Reed-ing)

It’s a city, not a book club. And yes, it confuses tourists daily.

3. Schuylkill (SKOO-kull, not Sky-ul-kill)

It’s a river, a county, and a pronunciation trap wrapped in a Scrabble nightmare.

4. Wilkes-Barre (Wilks-BERRY or Wilks-BEAR, not Wilkes-Bar)

There are two correct answers and one sure way to out yourself as not from NEPA.

5. Punxsutawney (Punk-suh-TAW-nee, not Punks-a-tawny)

Home of the weather-guessing groundhog and the annually butchered syllables.

6. DuBois (Doo-BOYCE, not Doo-bwah)

France is crying. DuBois is not. DuBois is fine.

7. North Versailles (Ver-SALES, not Ver-sigh)

Trust us: pronounce it like a yard sale, not like you’re starring in a French period drama.

8. Conshohocken (Con-shuh-HOCK-en, not Con-shoe-hock-in)

Say it fast and with confidence, like you’re late for a SEPTA train.

9. Monongahela (Muh-NONG-guh-hee-luh, not Mono-gah-hella)

It’s a river, not a spell from Harry Potter.

10. Jim Thorpe (Jim Thorpe, not whatever weird guess you’re about to make)

Yes, it’s a real town. No, we’re not explaining again.

11. Quakertown (KWAKE-er-town, not Quack-er-town)

It’s not about ducks. It’s about knowing how to blend in at a diner.

12. Bala Cynwyd (BAL-uh KIN-wid, not Bah-la Sin-wood)

It’s a Main Line classic—and a pronunciation gauntlet for newcomers.

If you nailed them all, congrats—you’ve definitely eaten scrapple, sat in Turnpike traffic for five hours, and have very strong opinions about Sheetz vs. Wawa. If not, that’s okay—we’ll still welcome you. Just don’t say “Lan-caster” like you’re booking a castle tour in England, or someone’s Nona is going to throw a hoagie at you with love. Welcome to Pennsylvania—watch your vowels and your potholes.

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