Britons are known for their love of overseas holidays, but a new study reveals that many popular destinations are frequently mispronounced. Linguistic experts at the learning app Preply have compiled a list of locations that British tourists often get wrong, from French resorts to Scottish cities.
Cannes, the glamorous French resort, is often mispronounced with a final 's' or extra syllable; the correct pronunciation is a quick single syllable 'kan'. Similarly, Phuket in Thailand is frequently mispronounced, but should begin with a soft 'p' to sound like 'poo-ket'. Cinque Terre in Italy is another tricky one, following Italian conventions as 'cheen-kweh teh-rreh'.
Polish city Krakow is regularly mispronounced by overemphasising the 'ow' ending when it should be a gentler 'kov'. Ibiza, a beloved party destination, has its 'z' overpronounced; it should be a gentle 'th' sound. In Portugal, Lagos features a gentler 'sh' at the end, creating 'lah-gosh'. Budapest, the Hungarian capital, is often said with a hard 'pest' instead of the correct 'pesht'.
Barcelona, despite its popularity, is often anglicised; in Spanish, the 'c' is pronounced 'th'. Closer to home, London's Marylebone is shortened to 'Mar-li-bone' rather than pronounced phonetically. Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, is a classic stumbling block; locals adopt a casual approach, dropping the ending to say 'Edin-bruh'.
