2. Gloucester
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycN8CeHyDwY&feature=youtu.be As can be seen from this video, one of the most difficult place names for Americans to say is Gloucester. Even our volunteer, familiar as she is with British idiom, hazarded "Glaus-chester" when confronted with this one. The trouble is, the middle of the word is omitted, which is something a non-Brit isn't going to be able to guess. Also, she was having a hard time keeping a straight face. There's only one place name harder for Americans to say, and it has the same ending as Gloucester. Incidentally, that "cester" suffix indicates the city was once home to a Roman military camp or fort. That piece of trivia doesn't make the word any harder or easier to say, it's just interesting. But before moving on to the number 1 spot, here's how to say Gloucester. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7n80pNPPBo
Mike Morgan
Contributor
Mike has lived in the UK, Japan and the USA. Currently, he is based in Iowa with his wife and 2 young children. After working for many years as a writer and editor for a large corporation, he is now a freelancer. He has been fortunate enough to contribute to many books on Doctor Who over the last 20 years and is now concentrating on original sci-fi & fantasy short stories, with recent sales including Flame Tree, Uffda, and The Martian Wave. Also, look for his contribution on Blake's 7 to "You and Who Else", a charity anthology to be released later this year.
You can find him on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/culttvmike
See more from
Mike