• 11 months ago
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.
Transcript
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)

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