SC Place Name Pronunciations Guide

• Abbeville – AB • uh • vul, AB • bee • VIL
  
• Alcolu – AL • cuh • loo
  

  The Clarendon County Archives gives insight as to the interesting origination of this town's name: "Alcolu was established between 1885 and 1890 by D. W. Alderman and Sons as a mill town for their lumber company. The name Alcolu is derived from "Al" as in Alderman, "Co" as in Coldwell (a friend), and "Lu" as in Lula, the only daughter of the Aldermans at that time."

• Almeda – al • ME • duh
  
  
• Antreville – ANN • tree • VIL
  
  
• Barre – BARE • ree
  
  
• Bufain – BYOO • fain
  

  Like Beaufort, the name of this Charleston Street is pronounced "byoo," which rhymes with "you."

• Beaufort – BYOO • fort
  

  Visitors often confuse this town with Beaufort NC, which is pronounced BOW • fort.

• Belin – BLANE
  

  Dave from Florence writes, "Belin was one of the first, if not the first, Baptist Church in SC, situated on Black Mingo Creek at Willtown (site of the Revolutionary Battle of Mingo Creek)." Belin is also the name of a Methodist church in Murrell's Inlet and a small community on Sandy Island in Georgetown County that we believe may share this same pronunciation.

• Berea – buh • REE • uh
  
  
• Berkeley – BURK • lee
  
  
• Blenheim – BLEN • um
  
  
• Bonneau – BOHN • oh
  

  Just like the lead singer from the rock group U2!

• Cades – KAYDZ
  
  
• Calibogue – cal • uh • BOW • gee
  

  As in Calibogue Sound, between Hilton Head and Daufuskie Islands. The 'g' is a hard one, as in 'grass.'

• Canadys – CAN • uh • dees, CAN • uh • DIS
  
  
• Cayce – KAY • see
  
  
• Chapin – CHAY • pin
  
  
• Chappells – CHAP • puls
  

  Pronounced like "chaples," with the emphasis on the first syllable. A conscientious newscaster forwarded us an email from a viewer that corrected his pronunciation of Chappells – thanks to WIS TV for this input!

• Chechessee River – chuh • chessie
  
  A reader named Kate recently sent us the following message, "Your pronunciation guide is wonderful and I have learned much, even after six years in South Carolina. But I live near the Chechessee River [in Beaufort County] and have never heard it pronounced. Obvious to many, I suppose, but I'm wondering where the emphasis would be. Help!"
  
  Our reply? The initial "chuh" is slightly separate from the "chessie," in that the last two syllables sort of run together. But we wouldn't say there was a strong emphasis on any one syllable. It's almost like the syllables create two different words – "chuh" and "chessie" – but not quite. All the syllables are soft-sounding and fluid, just like the river that bears its name!
  
  
• Cheddar – SHED • ur
  
  
• Cheohee – CHOY
  
  
• Cheraw – chuh • RAW, shuh • RAW
  

  An alert reader sent us a copy of Town of Cheraw Resolution 7-92 that officially designates "chuh • RAW" as the correct pronunciation. It seems actual pronunciations still vary though.

  
  
  
• Clemson – CLEM • zun, CLEMP • sun, CLEM • sun
  

  We've heard the ESPN broadcaster's debates, and the Clemson alumni debates, and we've sat around debating it ourselves... Now we'd like to know what YOU say!

  
  
  
• Clinton – CLIN • nin
  

  Locals tell us that pronouncing the "T" marks you as an outsider for sure! The second syllable seems to have an indistinguishable vowel, so that variations include "nin," "nun," or "non." Thanks to Abby of Charlotte and Judith of Mountville who let us know about this "mispronunciation."

• Clio – CLY • oh
  
  
• Cofitachiqui – ko • fit • uh • chee • kee
  

  The Cofitachiqui were considered one of the most highly civilized tribes of their time. This reputation prompted de Soto to locate the tribe. He kidnapped their leader and demanded that she take him to places of great wealth. After several days, the Queen of the Cofitachiqui escaped, accompanied by several of de Soto's men. (The last two syllables of this word run together, as in "cheeky.")

  
  
• Coligny – cuh • LIG • nee
  

  An article in the Island Packet on Lowcountry Pronunciations claims, "Our upper crust gave up long ago getting anyone to pronounce Coligny correctly. We say "ku-LIG-nee." The educated went around saying "ko-lee-NYEE" until they got tired of being corrected."

• Conestee – CON • us • tee
  
  
• Cooper – COO • pur, CUP • puh
  

  The first pronunciation is the most common, but the traditional pronunciation of this river dividing Charleston and Mount Pleasant still survives among many Charlestonians. In the traditional pronunciation, the "oo" is pronounced as it is in "look" instead of as it is in "loop."

• Coosawhatchie – KOO • suh • HATCH • ee
  
  
• Coronaca – car • NAY • kuh, CAR • uh • NAY • kuh
  

  Thanks to Lee for writing to tell us that the most common pronunciation he hears is 'car • NAY • kuh.' However, he writes, "Old-timers say either 'cor • NAY • kuh' or
  'car • NECK • kuh.' There are several theories over the origin but I don't think anybody really knows." Claude Neuffer's entry on Coronaca suggests that the Greenwood County town and creek's name and pronunciation may come from 18th century spellings – Cornacre.

• Combahee – KUM • bee
  
  
• Dataw Island – DOH • TOH, DAW • TAW
  

  This small sea island in Beaufort was formerly spelled "Datha" and pronounced "data" with a short "a" sound. It is unclear when the spelling and pronunciation changed, although some tie it to Alcoa Properties' presence on the island, which began in 1983.

• Daufuskie Island – duh • FUS • key
  
  
• DeBordieu Island– DEB • i • dew
  

  The "i" sound is a short "i," as in "river." The island may have been named after an early French settler, but local legends posit a different theory... When the Marquis de Lafayette reached the shore of the island after narrowly escaping capture by the British, he claimed that it was so beautiful, it must be the "borderland of God" (D'abord Dieu).

• DeKalb – de • KALB
  

  Libba sent in this helpful advice: "In Camden, where I grew up, the 'l' is pronounced in DeKalb. It was not until I went to college in DeKalb County, Georgia, that I heard it pronounced without the 'l'." Libba Patterson

• Edisto – EH • dis • toe, eddie • STOW
  

  The second pronunciation isn't as common as the first, but it sure is cute! You mostly hear it from oldtimers and people with stronger Gullah or Geechie accents.

• Enoree – IN • uh • ree
  
  
• Eutawville – YOO • tah • vil
  
  
• Gaillard – GIL • YARD
  
  
• Gervais – jur • VAY
  
  
• Givhans Ferry – GIV • ANZ
  
  
• Gourdin – ???
  

  We spoke with several people and each offered a different version of this pronunciation: gur • DINES, GUR • dine, GORE • dine, and guh • DINE. Please let us know what you hear so we can keep this town on our list!

• Guignard – GIN • yard
  

  Special thanks to Pat for this addition: "Guignard Drive in Sumter is pronounced by the locals as 'GIN • yard' with a hard 'g' sound, and the 'i' sound pronounced in between that of the 'i' in 'instant' and the 'i' in 'gingko.' People from out of town routinely have difficulty with this street name."
  
  There is also a Guignard Street in Charleston. Bill W., who has lived in the Holy City for over 30 years, says the name is "similar to what you note for Sumter, though GIN • yard and GIN • yurd are used in Charleston."

• Hamer – HAY • mur
  
  
• Hasell – HAY• zul
  
  
• Honea Path – HUN • ee • uh
  
  
• Horry – or • ree, o • ree
  

  There are only slight differences in these two pronunciations, and the main takeaway is to drop the "h" sound from the beginning.

• Huger – u • GEE, HU • gee
  

  To avoid instigating any feuds, we figure we'd better call this one a draw. It seems that everyone has a different idea about which pronunciation is "correct" in which area of the state. We think you're doing good if you just drop the "r" from the end ... with one exception. Huger Street in Chesterfield County is actually pronounced HUE • gur! (Note: Purists in Charleston use a soft "g" and definitely do not pronounce the "H.")

• Jalapa – juh • LAHP • uh
  
  
• Jocassee– joe • KASS • ee
  
  
• Jonesville – JONE • vul, JONES • vul
  

  We received a letter from Chris, who was born in Jonesville, and said that natives sometimes drop the "s" when pronouncing their hometown.

• Keowee – KEE • WEE, KEE • uh • wee
  

  Old-school Senconians (natives of the Seneca-Oconee County area) often shorten this word to "KEE • WEE" – just like the fruit! (Special thanks to Ruthie from the Clemson Area Chamber for this info!)

• Kiawah – KEE • uh • wah
  

  Like with Keowee, many locals and "old-timers" in the Charleston area tend to drop the middle syllable, saying "KEY • WAH Island."

• Kinards – KIE • nurds
  

  Tom from Florence writes, "Kinards is located on Highway 76 north of Newberry, and between Jalapa and Joanna. Non-Palmetto state folks call it kuh • NARDS (German) and not the correct KYE • nurds (Scottish)."

• Lancaster – LANK • uh • stur
  

  Lancaster is frequently mispronounced "LAN • CAS • tur," with a short "a" in the first syllable and emphasis on both the first and second syllables. The true pronunciation has a long "a" however, and the emphasis is on the first syllable.

  
  
• Legare – le • GREE
  
  
• Lobeco – le • BEE • coe
  

  In the aforementioned book by the Neuffers, we learned where this town's name originated. "The lowcountry town of Lobeco was once the seat of a vegetable packinghouse. Two men named Long and Bellamy owned the business. The first two letters of each name plus co for company make up the town's name – though today Long, Bellamy, and the packinghouse all are gone."

• Lockhart – LOCK • urt
  

  "Lockhart is not pronounced "Lock Heart" by the locals. It is pronounced "LOCK - urt" – real quick." Thanks to Terry from Spartanburg for this feedback.

• Lugoff– LOO • goff
  
  
• McBee – MAC • bee
  

  Many people wrote in to tell us that they often hear this town's name said "mick • BEE." Denizens of Greenville (where there is a McBee Street) and Chesterfield (with a town named McBee) pronounce the "a" and put the emphasis on the first syllable, though.

• McKeown – muh • COWN
  
  
• McLeod – muh • CLOUD
  
  
• Modoc – MOE • DOCK
  
  
• Monticello – MONT • i • SELL • oh
  

  Visitors often use the pronunciation of Thomas Jefferson's home in Virginia, MONT • i • CHEL • oh. They are quickly corrected, we hear.

• Montmorenci – MONT • muh • REN • see
  
  
• Moultrie – MOOL • tree, MOW • tree
  
  Important caveat: If you use the first option, which is preferred, don't overdo the "l"!
  
  
• Mount Croghan – CROG • an
  
  
• Nesmith – NEE • SMITH
  

  Bruce Nesmith King writes, "The Town of Nesmith is a few miles west of Willtown, home of Belin church (now destroyed), and across Mingo Creek from Indiantown – colorful place names all from the first settled section of Williamsburg County.
  
  "The story goes that when a post office was to be erected, in the late 1800s or early 1900s, a request was made for a donation of land for it. The donor got to then name the post office. Hence, my great-grandfather put his name on the post office of Nesmith. It was the same story for the nearby town of Kingsburg, previously known as Savage. My great-grandfather donated the land for the post office and gave it his name.
  
  "There are several stories concerning the origin of the name Nesmith; the most prominent is as follows: About 1200 the King of Scotland requested a soldier to mend his armor prior to an imminent battle. These Scots prevailed and the aforementioned soldier distinguished himself on the battlefield such that he was knighted, but the king's armor didn't suit him so the soldier was dubbed Ne Smith, which in Scottish means not smith. To this day Scots are heard to say ne for not."

• Newry – NEAR • ree
  

  Henrietta from Westminster wrote us, "I came from a little mill town in Oconee County called Newry, which pretty much everyone in my town pronounced "Near-ry," but when you went outside the town you had to say it "New-ry" so people would actually understand what you meant."

• Neyles – NEELS
  

  We received this message from a reader: "There is a town between Walterboro & Jacksonboro on Highway 64 that as a child I had heard pronounced 'Nellies.' The spelling of the town's name is Neyles. Several years ago I had car trouble and stopped at the store there. The store owner pronounced the town's name like 'kneels.' No one believes me when I tell them it's not 'Nellies.' We checked it out, and sure enough, locals pronounce it 'NEELS'!"

• Oconee – oh • COE • nee
  

  This county in the northwest corner of the state is often mispronounced "AH • cuh • nee," to the chagrin of those who live there.

• Okatie – OH • kuh • tee
  
  
• Olar – OH • ler
  

  This one was submitted by our good friend Andy Hunter of Denmark: "Most folks outside Bamberg County say 'oh • LAR,' but locals seem to prefer 'oh • ler' (like a bowler or a molar)."

• Oswego – OSS • we • go
  
  
• Owdoms – OH • dums
  
  
• Pacolet Mills – PAK • uh • let, PAK • let

  We received an email from a reader who grew up near Pacolet; he wrote, "I have always heard it pronounced with two-and-a-half syllables... you might hear the "uh" sound as the second syllable, but it's barely pronounced, if at all. It sounds closer to "PAK • let" than it does "PAK • uh • let." Thanks for your input, Scott!

• Pamplico – PAMP • li • koe
  
  
• Pelion – PEEL • yun
  
  
• Pinopolis – pie • NOP • uh • lis
  
  
• Pocotaligo – po • co • ta • lee • go
  

  The good folks at Pocotaligo Kennels in Sumter shared a wealth of wisdom with us regarding this strange word, which is the name of a community in Jasper County as well as the name of a swamp and a river in Clarendon County. The word comes from the Yemassee Indians, and it is said to mean either "gathering place" or "big ball play town" – the Yemassee were apparently avid sports fans! Another fun legend holds that a farmer who was trying to get his ox to cross the river received this sage advice from a Native American he encountered along the bank: "Poke 'e tail [and] 'e go!"
  
  (Hint: This word is easier to describe phonetically as "poco-tally-go," since the syllables run together fluidly. The "o" sounds are all long, and the "tally" portion is pronounced just like a tally of votes.)

• Pomaria – puh • MEH • ree • uh
  

  The joke runs that the town's name came about through a story of an abused wife who lived there, named Mary. (Po' Mary – get it?) Dianne of Pomaria tells us that visitors often mistakenly pronounce the town's name as if the story was about Maria, not Mary!

• Prioleau – PRAY • low
  

  This street in Charleston proves troublesome even for locals, as evidenced by a letter we received from someone who has lived on Prioleau Street for two years and says she "still fumbles with the name."

• Rantowles – RAN • TOLLS
  
  
• Ribaut – REE • BOW
  

  Ribaut Road is one of the primary streets in Beaufort, leading to Port Royal. It was named after Jean Ribaut, a French Huguenot leader who established an outpost he named Charlesfort on Parris Island in 1562. In addition to the pronunciation, another source of confusion surrounding the street name is its alternate spelling, "Ribault," which according to the Beaufort County Library "reflects the archaic French writing system of the 16th century."

• Rimini – RIM • i • NYE
  

  Rhymes with "Gemini."

• Salkehatchie – SAHL • kuh • HATCH • ee
  

  The first syllable sounds like the first part of "Salt." In fact, some old South Carolina maps indicate that the original name of the town and river was actually "Salt Catcher."

• Sans Souci – san • SOO • see
  

  This town's name is French for "worry-free."

• Sharon – shay • run
  
  
• Socastee – SOCK • uh • stee
  
  
• St. Helena Island – HEL • uh • nuh
  
  
• St. Stephen – STEE • ven, STEE • vens
  

  Although there is no "s" on the end of St. Stephen, locals often add it. "St. Stephens" is located in Berkeley County.

• Sumter – SUMP • tur
  

  Sumter's pronunciation creates a different sort of problem; people often misspell the county's name so that it looks like it sounds. It's pretty near impossible to say Sumter without the "p" sound – although it can be amusing to try. However, the "p" should be dropped when writing it.

• Tamassee – tuh • MAH • see
  
  
• Trio – TRY • oh
  
  
• Tega Cay – TEE • guh
  
  
• Tullifinny – TOO • luh • FIN • ee
  

  In our first "edition" of the guide, we reported that this Low Country creek was pronounced "tuh • LIF • uh • nee." A reader wrote in to tell us that our source was most definitely mistaken. He wrote, "The first syllable is pronounced 'too', and the accent is on the first and third syllable about equally." We called more locals about this and they all agreed. We humbly apologize for the error in the first edition! Thanks to Doug from Hampton for setting us straight!

• Utica – YOU • ti • cuh
  
  
• Van Wyck – VAN • WIKE, VAN • WACK
  

  This small community in Lancaster County sure did fire up the pronunciation debate! We got in touch with a long-time resident, Jim, who told us that the most prevalent pronunciation by locals was VAN • WIKE. But VAN • WACK, the dutch pronunciation, is also heard, and from time to time you hear VAN • WICK. The latter is almost definitely incorrect, though.

• Vanderhorst – VAN • der • HORST, VAN • dross
  

  We talked to a number of Charleston born-and-bred octogenarians who have always said "VAN • der • HORST," trailing off just before they fully pronounce the "t." Other sources report that "VAN • dross" is the right pronunciation. The Neuffers offer a third opinion; "VAN • draws." Although it seems the latter two options are not used as much as the first, we feel their use is prevalent enough that they should be included.

• Vaucluse – VOH • cloos
  
  
• Walhalla – WAH • HALL • uh, WAHL • HALL • uh
  
  
• Ware Shoals – WAIR • SHOLZ, WERE • SHOLZ
  

  Lee, whose family is from Ware Shoals in Greenwood County, wrote, "It should be noted that many in the area say WERE • SHOLZ or WORE • SHOLZ. I've even heard WERE • SHOZE. Folks who say 'Ware' and stress the 'L' in Shoals are letting you know that they've got a little money. Great place!! Good people!!" Thanks for this tidbit, Lee!

• Waties Island – WAY • teez
  
  
• Westminster – west • MIN • stur, west • MIN • i • stur
  
  
• Winyah – WIN • yaw
  

  A letter from a reader states that residents of Winyah Bay often hear their town called "WIN • yah," but "natives of this great city say WIN • yaw."

• Wisacky – WYE • sack • ee
  
  
• Yauhannah – yaw • HAN • nah
  
  
• Yeamans – YAY • mens
  
  
• Yemassee – YAM • uh • see, YEM • uh • SEE
  
  
• Yonges Island – YUNGS
  

Related News Articles

• Don't Speak Lowcountry? Then Read This - article in Island Packet by contributor David Lauderdale
  
• Pronouncing it the SC Way - article in Post & Courier
• SCIWAY News pronunciation article #1 - July 2007
• SCIWAY News pronunciation article #2 - August 2007
• SCIWAY News pronunciation article #3 - September 2007