Is Ruislip Royslip or Ryislip? How do you say Berwick street? London has plenty of places where the names are often mispronounced.
We put the people of London to a LondonWorld test to see who can correctly pronounce the mispronouncable places in London.
We put the people of London to a LondonWorld test to see who can correctly pronounce the mispronouncable places in London.
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00:00 So, James, how long have you lived in London for?
00:04 Well, I don't technically live in London, I'm a little bit further north, just north of Enfield in a town called Chesent, which is technically in Hertfordshire, but I've been commuting in all my life.
00:15 Right, and how well do you think you can pronounce London names?
00:19 We'll find out I guess, I'm not massively confident, but we'll have to see.
00:24 How long have you lived in London for?
00:26 I mean, I was born and raised, so whole life pretty much.
00:30 Right, so how confident are you that you can pronounce the names of places in London?
00:35 I mean, I know south better than I know north, so some of them might be a bit of a mystery to me, but we'll see how we get on.
00:41 So I've been in London since September, so it's been about six months, so in theory I should recognise some of these, but don't know how well I'll do.
00:49 We're going to start off with some easy ones, some straightforward ones that you should get.
00:53 Okay, don't say that, I'm fine.
00:54 And then it'll get a bit harder, okay?
00:56 So if you're alright just to read out the first one for me there.
01:00 Chiswick.
01:01 Chiswick.
01:02 Chiswick.
01:03 Chiswick, nice and easy. And then the second one?
01:05 Subbock.
01:06 Subbock.
01:07 Subbock.
01:08 Yeah, and the third one?
01:10 Penge.
01:11 Penge.
01:12 Nice. So are you living in Penge?
01:14 I live in Penge. I'm struggling to think how else anyone would pronounce it.
01:19 I have never heard of that. Penge?
01:21 Penge is correct, so that's good. The fourth one, this is a street name in London.
01:26 I would just say Berwick Street.
01:27 Berwick, so it's actually Berwick Street.
01:29 Berwick, okay.
01:30 Berwick Street.
01:31 Berwick Street.
01:33 Yeah, Berwick Street is correct. Four for four, going well. This next one?
01:38 Surrey Quays.
01:39 Surrey Quays.
01:40 Surrey Quays.
01:41 That's correct. The one underneath?
01:43 Hoban.
01:44 Hoban.
01:45 Hoban.
01:46 Hoban is correct.
01:47 Aldwych.
01:49 Oh, it's Aldwych. So, one wrong.
01:54 Aldwych.
01:55 So it's Aldwych.
01:57 Aldwych?
01:59 Yes, Aldwych is correct.
02:00 No.
02:01 Ryslip.
02:02 No, it's Ryslip.
02:04 Ryslip.
02:05 So, here we go. Starting to tumble here.
02:08 Ryslip.
02:09 Okay, I would say that's Ryslip.
02:11 Nice. This is a square in London, just underneath.
02:15 Oh, I haven't heard of that. Maybe Cadogan Square?
02:18 I'm just going to go for a Hail Mary. Say it's Cadogan or something.
02:24 Cadogan Square?
02:26 Incorrect. It's Cardigan Square. And then the last one, this one I think might catch out everyone.
02:33 Playstow.
02:34 I think it's incorrect. It's actually Playstow. But listen, 7 out of 10, 70% pass rate.
02:39 Respectable.
02:40 I think that's really good. Are you happy with that?
02:41 I am very happy with that, yeah.
02:43 Playstow?
02:45 Close.
02:48 Do you know what? That's a really tough one. Say it again for me.
02:53 Playstow.
02:54 Playstow. Do you know what? I'm going to give you that.
02:57 Alright, sounds.
02:58 Plastow, but Plastow is closer than Playstow. I'm not sure on this one. I might give you a half point for that one.
03:05 Okay, I'll accept 6.5.
03:07 6.5, about 65%.
03:08 Yeah, that's respectable.
03:09 Yeah, respectable.
03:10 The last one, if you get this right, you're the champion, so no pressure. Have you heard of that last one?
03:16 Oh, I have. I think that's Plastow. Is that right?
03:19 It's Plastow. Well done, 8 out of 10.
03:21 - I know, exactly. (laughs)