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)

Interesting, but old names are often preserved for slightly sentimental purposes. The Romans called Doncaster Danum; the town today has a Danum Hotel. And consider a) the origin and b) the spelling of surnames like Pomfret, Darby, Lester. Also, it is well known that Brighthelmstone became Brighton; less so that Wyrardisbury became Wraysbury.

My advice in general would be don't worry about all this socially, especially as the name that concerned the OP is from outside the area and indeed the country. There is bound to be instability in pronunciation; the great vowel shift has never finished. The sting in the tail of what several posters have said, let popular usage dictate, is that popular usage, over time if not at any one time, will be fluid, so in no position to dictate. Is Shrewsbury Shroazbury or Shruezbury? Daniel Jones said the former was associated with old county families and with Shrewsbury School, the latter was 'used by outsiders and is the common pronunciation heard in the town' (my emphasis). Railway announcers today - a fairly demotic lot I would have thought - seem to be divided on this.

If it's someone's personal name you really do need to go along with what they say. The Welsh name for Anglesey, Ynys Môn, is pronounced Annis Mawan (more or less). But I knew someone who adopted it as their surname and anglicised the pronunciation: Innis Monn. So I had to vary my pronunciation according to what or who I was referring to.

It certainly isn't pronounced like that. It's pronounced (roughly) 'Unnis Mone'
@FlorbelaEspanca .

[ˌənɨs ˈmoːn];

Sure: I had really only previously heard a BBC newsreader's pronunciation (when Keith Best got into his little difficulty with BT shares). It was clear to me that the vowel in the second word is a monophthong, but I couldn't convey that in ordinary spelling and was reluctant to use IPA on here; I'm glad you're not. The central vowels of the first word are just the sort that an anglophone newsreader wouldn't quite get I fear.

Your reply is gibberish.

That's only true if there is more than one Illinois. The Illinois in Gloucestershire, for instance.

That being said, I'd pronounce it the way the locals mispronounce it, just fornthensake of clarity.

Danum is very common for businesses, clubs, sports etc in Doncaster!

I think I know how to say that one. Isn't the name something to do with churches? Some years ago my phone had a bit of an issue with maps and thought I was in Eglwyswrw when I was in Aberystwyth.

Eglwys is church, yes.

And yours is rude and offensive!

It surely depends. You could live on Notre Dame Road. Are you pronouncing it like the French or the Americans? Illinois looks French and so maybe there is a French pronunciation which might be the correct one?

Sometimes the local tradition is so longstanding that really that’s what the street is called, regardless of how the word is pronounced elsewhere. Belvoir Castle is an ancient example - the English couldn't pronounce the French sounds so called it “Beaver”. Here in Belfast, Stormont is often mispronounced “Stormount” - but there’s a “Stormount Street” (as per the street sign) where the mispronunciation is now the official title.

C, but say the local one first, and add 'whichever you prefer'.

Google it. You can listen to the pronounciation of any word.

We’ve got some funnies in Norfolk
Happisburgh pronounced Haysbru
Cley pronounced Clie
Wymondham pronounced Windham

Stiffkey pronounced Stookey.

.... and not far away, Raphael Park pronounced ray-fall. Bonkers.

AI says there is no street in the UK called Illinois St... but send them a PIN or give them a postcode and a local landmark... not exactly something to be getting yourself all worked up about is it?

@DH001 ,the name isn't Illinois, it's similar.

Des Moines Street?

That’s properly made me lol - Gants Hill à la française is just too on point (en point?)!! Brilliant 😅

I was a green-as-grass new Londoner, and in fairness, I'd never actually been to Gants Hill or had any reason to hear it said aloud, having never ventured out that far on the Central Line.

My favourite mispronounced street is Cockburn Street in Edinburgh

The district Château du Lait in Glasgow is frequently mispronounced by bumpkin visitor types.