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The Ultimate Guide to Pronouncing Oklahoma Towns and Cities

Don't trust the spelling.

Wyatt Stanford

Feb 01, 2017

Norman, Oklahoma

10363

The Ultimate Guide to Pronouncing Oklahoma Towns and Cities

Wyatt Stanford

Oklahoma is notorious for having places with some difficult to pronounce names. This article is dedicated to showing how a local pronounces the names of these towns and cities. I attempted to provide phonetic spellings or approximations for each one.

If you are a not an Oklahoman, study this list and be prepared to impress locals with your knowledge.

If you are an Oklahoman, share this article to teach your non-Okie friends and families the proper way to say these names.

If your town did not make the list, please leave a comment below.

Achille

A-chill-EE

Ada

AY-da

Albion

Al-BEE-un

Anadarko

AN-ah-dar-koh

Atoka

ah-TOH-kuh

Bache

BAY-ch

Boise City

Boy-s City. (Not like the capital of Idaho.)

Bokchito

Boke-chee-toh. (I also heard Boke-chee-tah.)

Bokoshe

Boh-koh-SHEE

Caddo

Cad-OH

Calera

Cuh-lair-uh. (Not “cholera”.)

Cashion

CA-shun

Catoosa

Cuh-TOO-suh

Checotah

Sheh-COH-tuh

Chouteau

Sho-TOH

Coweta

Co-WEE-tuh

Durant

Dure-ant. (I also heard DOO-rant, but I think most people say it this way.)

Eufaula

You-FAW-luh

Fanshawe

Fan-SHAW

Foraker

For-AY-ker

Geary

Like Gary

Gotebo

Go-TEE-bo

Hartshorne

Harts-HORN

Idabel

I-dah-bel

Inola

I-NO-luh

Kiowa

Ki-OH-waw. (Not to be mistaken with the Kiowa [Ki-o-wuh] tribe of Oklahoma.)

Konawa

Kon-ah-wuh

Lequire

LEE-kwire

Lima

LI-muh

Madill

Muh-dil

Mangum

Man-gum

Miami

My-AM-uh. (If you say this like the city in Florida, people will laughed at you.)

Minco

Meen-KO

Muskogee

Mus-KOH-gee

Nowata

No-WAW-tuh

Ochelata

O-chuh-LAW-tuh

Okmulgee

Ok-MUHL-gee

Oktaha

Ok-TUH-haw

Oologah

Oo-LOH-gaw. (I also heard O-lo-gaw.)

Owasso

Oh-WAW-so

Panola

Pah-NOH-luh. (From the Choctaw word for coal.)

Pawhuska

Paw-HUS-kuh

Pocola

Puh-COH-luh

Poteau

Poh-DOH

Prague

Pray-g. (Not like the capital of the Czech Republic.)

Quapaw

Kwaw-paw

Rattan

Ruh-TAN

Sallisaw

Sal-IH-saw

Sayre

Say-er

Seminole

SEM-uh-nohl

Skiatook

Sky-uh-took

Tahlequah

Tal-uh-kwaw

Talala

Tuh-LAW-luh

Talihina

Tal-i-HEE-na. (Like in the Kings of Leon song “Talihina Sky”. Some locals say Tal-uh-HEE-na or Tal-HAY-na.)

Tecumseh

Teh-cum-suh

Tishomingo

Tish-MEAN-goh. (Locals omit the first “o”.)

Tonkawa

Ton-kuh-wuh

Vian

VI-ann. (Not Vee-ann.)

Vici

Vice-eye

Vinita

Vin-EE-tuh

Watonga

Wuh-TON-guh

Waurika

War-EE-kuh

Weleetka

Wuh-LEET-kuh

Wetumka

Wuh-TUM-kuh

Wewoka

Wee-WOH-kuh

Wilburton

Wil-BUR-ton. (You can spot a non-local if they say “Will Burton".)

Wynnewood

Win-ee-wood

Disclaimer: These are the ways I learned to say these names. If I didn't capture the correct pronunciation of your town, I apologize.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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The Ultimate Guide to Pronouncing Oklahoma Towns and Cities

Don't trust the spelling.

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For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

2. Disappointed you let it get this bad

3. Distracted: When a 10-Minute Break Becomes an Hour

4. When the Yearning for Sleep Sneaks Up

5. In the words of Lorelai Gilmore "Coffee, Coffee, Coffee"

Oh, so done.

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1. When it's December 1 and you have seven things due, three exams, and haven't slept in three days.

2. So you stress.

3. And cry.

4. Then call your mom to cry some more.

5. After the pep talk, you feel determined to get everything done.

6. But, now you're tired.

7. And really hungry.

8. Suddenly, it's 2 a.m. and you have only written three sentences and your paper is due in the morning.

9. You've made it to Friday... somehow.

10. Then Sunday hits and you find yourself back at the Lib.

11. So you cry some more.

12. But, you fight through the tears to get everything done because you're determined.

13. In the end, you feel on top of the world because you made it through the last week of class alive.

14. But, now it's finals week so good luck.

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

1. I'm so tired. I need a nap. Maybe I can sleep with my eyes open in class? Or pretend I'm not napping?

2. We have a test today? Why didn't anyone tell me? Did I know this?!

3. Can I quit school yet? It's only October, and I need a vacation.

4. The struggle is so real.

5. I'm so broke. SOS.

6. Stressed? Eat everything you own in your pantry and stuff your face with all your feelings.

7. "Did we have anything due in class today? Homework? Quiz? Test?" "Not that I know of..."

8. I need food. Where is the closest place to get food? I need it stat.

9. This is the longest day of my life. I need a drink, or two, or three.

10. Sleep? What is sleep? What a foreign concept.

11. When someone suggests going and studying in the library, let alone studying in general.

12. When the cafeteria or student center is packed and you can't find a seat anywhere so you literally have to sit in an abandoned corner.

13. When you see someone you used to hook up with. They see you, and approach you; so you have to pretend like everything is normal.

14. When you get your exam and realize you didn't study as much as you should have.

15. When you crush it on an exam or paper that you totally bullshitted.

16. I need a grande, extra strong coffee to get me through today.

17. When the professor announces you have a project due the following week with no instruction on what it's on and how to do it.

18. Is it Friday yet? Where's the weekend when you need it most?

19. It's freezing in here. I feel like I'm sitting in an igloo. I should have brought a jacket or worn long pants.

20. Did I remember my book? Damn, I forgot the book, and of course I need it for that quiz in class.

21. I would pay a million dollars to not go to class today; or actually never again.

22. I need a hoverboard to ride to class. Maybe then I wouldn't be running 15 minutes late to class every day.

23. Oh she/he's cute! I wonder if they're single. Who are they texting? They're BF/GF? I wonder if they think I'm cute. Could they be a potential new bae?

24. Why is there never any parking? I pay thousands of dollars a year for one parking spot to be open.

25. When it feels like you've been in class for an hour and you look at your phone and it has only been five minutes (I'm crying on the inside).

26. When the professor asks if there are any more questions at the end of class and someone raises their hand.

27. When you get assigned the most incompetent group of people possible for a group project.

28. I need a comfort dog so I can avoid all life and school responsibilities.

"A Christmas Story" is the star on top of the tree.

Who isn't stressing out over finals right now?

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