Pronunciation of Argyll

[ScotFree]

I was just watching Craig Ferguson, and I heard him pronounce it as ar-GILE. I've always said it in my head as AR-gile, much like his English guest. Is that how its actually pronounced by the locals?

[Dale Seago]

I was just watching Craig Ferguson, and I heard him pronounce it as ar-GILE. I've always said it in my head as AR-gile, much like his English guest. Is that how its actually pronounced by the locals?

By the locals? I wouldnae ken.

But the original being "Earra-Ghàidheal", meaning something like the land or country of the Gael, it seems about right to me.

[English Bloke]

The Scots put the emphasis is on the gile as in ar-GILE. The English say AR-gile (emphasis on AR-) or ar-gile (no particular emphasis on either). The Scots way then, would be the correct way. And if you want to be really authentic... Throw another R in the middle for the brogue roll "arr-GILE" Ken?

[figheadair]

***

Breadalbane seems to give rise to the same sort of pronunciation problem.

[ThistleDown]

Now why is that? American visitors most often pronounce it as you do, Scotfree: AR-gile, whereas the local emphasis is on the second syllable making it ar-GILE. In the same sentence those same visitors will pronounce one of Argyle's largest towns as o-BAN, when it should be obn.

Oh, that could be fun:

how do you pronounce "ecclefechan"?

ardamurchan?

auchterarder?

avoch?

[English Bloke]

Mauchline?

[McClef]

And Kirkaldy will catch the unwary anytime!

[figheadair]

Muthill and Methven close to me are always good for a laugh.

[MacSpadger]

I was raised near Auchmaliddie, but have upped to Milngavie.
Milngavie seems to be the one that surprises most people, the info below comes from rampantscotland.com

Milngavie
Another of those names designed to separate the locals from the travellers! Pronounced, would you believe, "Mill-guy" (with the accent on the second syllable) Listen to many locals, though, and it might sound more like "Mull-guy". It is often said that the name derives from "Gavin's Mill" but another possibility is that it comes from the Gaelic "muileann gaoithe" meaning windmill. There is an apochryphal story of an American couple passing through Milngavie who became aware that it had a pronunciation to confuse most tourists. So they thought they'd ask a local. When having lunch they asked the waitress: "Can you tell us how you pronounce the name of this place and say it slowly so that we can pick it up". The obliging lass said, slowly and clearly "B-u-r-g-e-r K-i-n-g".

I tend for the Mull-n-GUY pronounciation myself.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

What gets me are when folks insist on pronouncing Glasgow to rhyme with "Glass Cow."