How do you pronounce "slough of despond"

[VenetiaLanyon]

I have always pronounced slough to rhyme with cough, rather than like the town; is that right?

I've always wondered too. In my head I pronounce it 'sluff'.

I pronounce it as I would the town in Berkshire.

Agree with mrsminever.

It is officially pronounced like the town but I always say sluff as a not very funny joke.

Like the town, as Mrs Miniver and others said.

I would pronounce like the town, to rhyme with plough.

I say it like the town

I say pluff as a not very funny joke too... [tragic]

As in Come friendly bombs..

Hmm, I'm clearly in a minority, but wonder where I got this from, as for some reason I think it's supposed to be different from the town...

Because if you slough something off, it's sluff, but if you visit the town, its Slough. Confusing.

(Don't visit the town without a jolly good reason, though, it's not a tourist destination.)

So Edam, do you think it's pronounced "sluff"?

no it is slough as in the town surely?

Two different words with different origins.

This is the definition of slough pronounced like the town - it means swamp

This is the definition of slough pronounced sluff - it means to shed and can also be used as a noun meaning the stuff that is shed

The slough of despond refers to a swamp (in Pilgrim's Progress) so it is pronounced like the town.

Here ends the lesson!

Only yesterday I had to look this up as I was reading an American article which talked about 'sluffing off' and I really didn't think that could be right! I was proved wrong, the second slough described can also be spelt like that !

DH also went for "sloff"......it seems to mean ditch, which Google thinks you pronounce "sloo", for added complications....

Like the town

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slough%20of%20despond
This gets my vote!

at Slough the town's name being 'swamp'. It certainly gives that impression...

Venetia, that was my point slough as in to slough something off is pron. sluff, whereas slough of despond sounds just like the town.

I was wondering about a ditch being somewhere where "sluffed/ sloffed" off things end up?

I'm wondering if this is all Brits that have responded to this question. I'm from the US and have always pronounced it like sloo.

We Brits are so odd !

Cough
Through
Dough
Slough
Rough
Borough

All pronounced differently...and there's probably more !

We too. I LOVE words and language. I've often amused myself with wonding how anybody learns American English and I think there are probably many of the same issues, only reversed! I've just been trying to educate my housemate who is about to move to Norfolk, VA how it's pronounced (I think I, and the folk who live there pronounce it pretty close to how it's done in the UK, but she's having none of it [I think you can imagine]). And don't get me started on spelling with all the silent stuff.

Sluff of Des' pond.
Slough to rhyme with plough or cow
Despond to rhyme with this pond.