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)

That's boring, I'll stick to pretending I'm French and posh.... ha

You're pronouncing it wrong 🤷‍♀️

Not read the whole thread so apologies if another Sussex MNer has already said these, but ALWAYS GO WITH THE LOCALS!
Rye has a Cinque Port St (Sink, not the French sanke), and the landmark Ypres Tower (pronounced Wipers).
Nearby we have Udimore (yoody moor, not uddymore) and Herstmonceaux (Herst mon soo, not herst monux)

But the OP is local and the customers might not be.

Easy thing to do if you're an outsider...

Chop Gate.

Pronounced.

Chop Yat. Ffs

I'm from the North but lived in London for nearly 20 years, and loved on Alnwick Road for a while near Lewisham. Taxi drivers would never understand when I said it like it's meant to be "Anick", they'd go "Oh you mean AWLNWICK?" Aggressively pronouncing every letter, even the W 😆

I'm 53 and only last week made the link in my head that Arkansas is Bill Clinton's 'Arkansaw'.
So pleased with myself I keep saying it in my head. I did actually know this all along but the connection just didn't clicking my pronunciation!😄

Peover in Cheshire gets a lot of people!
Upper Peover, Lower Peover and even Peover Superior. 😁.

I’ve always wanted to visit Woolfardisworthy.

I'm embarrassed to admit that only recently at aged 33 did I learn how to say Arkansas...🤣

Is there a local building company called Peover Walls?!

If not already mentioned, in our neck of the woods we have Church Greasley (pronounced Grezz lee), Ilkeston (Ill kiss tun), Breaston (Bree stun), Eyam (Eem), Edensor (Ensa).

We also have the delightfully named Erewash Borough Council (pronounced Erry Wash, not ear wash).

Then there's Cator Lane (pronounced cay ta, not catta).

I mustn't forget Toton (Toe tun, not tott un).

My Dad grew up in Ilkeston, and everyone local called it Ill’ston

Stay true to the right way to say it! Don't conform. I still ask for a panino in a cafe and when they reply with 'a panini?' , I say, 'no, just the one'. Panini = plural, panino = one.

I’m also from Derbyshire and know Erewash as e-ra-wash not erry-wash.

Youlgreave/Youlgrave is another place pronounced differently by different people and Rowsley is pronounced as row-s-lee (as in row row row the boat) by some and row-s-lee (as in having a row with someone) by others.

Another place is Rainworth in Mansfield, non-locals say it as it looks, locals say ren-uff.

OP I think it’s worth saying it the way locals say it and spell it for people who are not familiar with the street name.

How about Cholmondeley probably Norman pronounced Chumley

I hope you are equally fastidious when talking about one broccolo or two pizze.

I reckon you’re in Theydon Bois!!!
I used to live close by and clearly, it’s a forest…so should be bois… the French for “wood”. Drove me to distraction that the locals called it “boys” . I did concede to the locals though because otherwise I just sounded like a pretentious arse 🤣.

Always! So glad I have a supporter!

A couple of small villages near me are New Houghton and pleasley.

they are pronounced (new) huffun and plezlee. Also rainworth and Southwell are ren-uff and suvull.

locals know how things are pronounced and telling them that they are wrong will not go the way you want.

Yet Houghton le Spring is pronounced either hor-ton or, more usually, hoe-ton, depending on who you're asking. The nearby hamlet of Houghall rhymes with offal, though!

I grew up in Styvechale, also written and known as Stivichall…..pronounced Stychel

Wrotham Heath (and Wrotham village itself) are pronounced Roo-tam, my favourites near there are also Meopham (Meh-pam) and Trottiscliffe (Trosley), in fact the country park is spelled phonetically because visitors to the area were often told by locals that they'd never heard of trot-iss-cliff.

Des Moines by any chance? A lot of people have issues with that name and I rarely hear it pronounced correctly!