To pronounce this street correctly

[wherethestreetshaveasillyname]

I just moved into small business premises locally and people have been asking for the address.

Now the street shares the name with a North American location that’s semi well-known in the UK - to avoid outing myself, let’s call it Illinois Street (it’s similar).

But every time I pronounce it (ill-ih-NOY street), I get blank looks. Then, when I describe the location, I get “ah you mean ill-ih-nwahh street!” and a raised ‘are you a bit stupid’ eyebrow.

What should I do?

A)keep saying it correctly

B) say it like everyone else seems to- but then look weird when I encounter someone who says it correctly

C) do as I am currently and long-windedly doing and say “oh it’s on Illinois Street, or, ill-i-nwa street as people seem to pronounce it round here.

(this is life-and-death and not at all lighthearted btw)

There was a council estate near where I used to live with a block called Arkansas House. I bet that had similar problems.

It's not entirely clear cut with place names. Is it only a US place name or also used otherwise? I used to live near a St Louis Road. The US city is pronounced St Lewis but that doesn't mean someone here should call it St Lewis Road.

If it's Arkansas and they are saying it as it looks rather than Arkansaw that would be more annoying.

Can't answer properly without the real example.

It's hard to say without knowing the actual name of the road. You might be pronouncing it incorrectly for all we know.

The US pronunciation might not be the original, local pronunciation. Lots of places in the US share names with British places or other European places but are pronounced differently. Elgin in Scotland has a “g” like in beg while in the US is has the same sound as the g in gin, for example.

Meet me in St Lewis, Lewis? Surely not.

With place names I think you pronounce it like the locals (so long as it doesn’t make it sound like you’re taking the piss out of their accents).

Can't answer without knowing what it actually is. Too many variables and potential for other connections with the name that would influence UK pronunciation.

Happens all the time in Wales. 🤷🏻‍♀️

"Correct" pronunciation of a thing is decided upon by the locals. Same here as there.

Pronounce it like everyone else does because being understood is more important than being right.

Except for when spelling "chest of drawers" on Facebook. We should never give in to Chester draws

It might share a spelling but not be related to the other place, so you should pronounce it like the locals.

Must be Arkansas.

A) keep saying it correctly
There's the rub: what is "correctly"?
Why do you think the American pronunciation is more correct than what the locals say? There is a town in Gloucestershire that has been there for at least 1200 years. They call it Berkley (as in 'bark'). Do you think they should start calling it by the American pronunciation (as in 'berk').

How long has your street been there? Is it an original / local name or named after the American location?

But perhaps the local pronunciation is the correct one? Which doesn't mean it's necessarily the same as the US placename. De Beauvoir Town in London in practice gets pronounced both as in Simone de Beauvoir and De Beaver.

Boise, Idaho isn't, for instance, pronounced as if it were French ('Bwozz'), even though it seems to have been named because of woods ('bois' in French) -- it's 'Boy-zee'.

God, that sounds so weird when you start singing it to yourself (in your best Judy Garland imitation, obviously).

Pronouce it loke the locals.

Giving my address out is a whole heap of fun lol. Live in one of the hardest places to pronounce In Wales. I give the postcode first, if asked for address over the phone. Then I say it. They sometimes say "I'm glad you said that"

I’d go with what the locals say.

Pronounce it as the locals do, otherwise you risk sounding up yourself (sorry).

If anyone raises an eyebrow, just say that's how it's pronounced round here.

I used to work in a local authority here in Ireland, dealing with properties, many of them were named after eg English or Hugenot people (men). Frequently 'mispronounced' but custom and practice was to use the vernacular.

Absolutely. Although I am guilty of mispronouncing things in Welsh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

I live in West Cumbria . There are lots of places that are pronounced differently from how a non local person may say it .

For example , Torpenhow I expect you would say Tor-pen-how . When most around here say T'penna or Trepenna .

Do you have any neighbouring premises and you could maybe ask them how they pronounce it?

I would usually expect there to be a European older pronunciation - like Toledo Spain vs Toledo Ohio.
are you sure the us pronunciation is the only and right one?

Happens all over the country. Mousehole in Cornwall is not Mouse-hole but Maows-all.

Agree with PP, just because Illinois is pronounced one way in the US doesn't mean its the same everywhere.
Magdelene is pronounced Mawdullin in Cambridge (or is it Oxford? My knowledge comes from University Challenge, & I can't remember) but where I'm from it's pronounced Mag-dell-en. Both are right in their own area.

I think in the film they pronounce it “Lewis” when spoken but “Louie” in the song, don’t they? May need a rewatch…