What is the hardest town name to pronounce in Indiana?
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The American language is as unique as the millions of people who inhabit it.
Some call us a ‘Nation of Immigrants’. Many of those immigrants from other countries settled in places like Indiana and brought their traditions and languages with them.
Those languages are interwoven in the cities, towns, counties and regions throughout the Hoosier State.
Some names are easy to pronounce and have obvious meanings. Indiana, for example, means “Land of the Indians.”
But how do you pronounce Loogootee? What is the hardest town name to pronounce in Indiana?
Reader’s Digest recently shared the hardest town name to pronounce in every state. Loogootee, pronounced Luh-GO-tee, was selected as the most difficult in Indiana.
Loogootee is in southwest Indiana, in Martin County. It has a population of a little over 2000 and was founded in 1853. The post office there has been in operation since 1857.
Several etymologies of the town name have been theorized. One would make it an Anglicization of the French name Le Gaultier. However, the most likely explanation is that Loogootee is a compound word honoring both Thomas Lowe, engineer of the first train through the town; and Thomas Nesbe Gootee (1797–1870), owner of the land where the town was built.
But what are some other difficult to pronounce Indiana town names?
Ligonier, the City of Murals?
The heart of Indiana Amish Country, Shipshewana?
Mishawaka, The Princess City?
Some other tongue-tied and twisted Indiana town names:
Regardless of the tongue-twisting names of the towns of Indiana, one thing is easy to say; Hoosier hospitality is alive and well across the state.
Take a minute and vote in our poll and share in our Facebook comments on what Hoosier town is the hardest to pronounce.