New Jersey has a rich history, diverse culture, and some rather perplexing city names that even locals sometimes stumble over. Frelinghuysen, Lavallette, and Ho-Ho-Kus are just a few examples. Imagine the hilarity that ensues when Californians, who are used to places like Los Angeles and San Francisco, attempt to pronounce these uniquely Jersey names.
A recent YouTube video titled “Californians Try to Pronounce New Jersey City Names” has gone viral, with more than 500,000 views in just one week. The video features Californians from various backgrounds, each taking a turn at pronouncing city names from the Garden State.
The video begins with contestants confidently trying to tackle names like Paramus and Secaucus. They’re slightly tripped up but recover well enough. Then comes the big guns: Frelinghuysen and Lavallette.
One participant attempted “FREE-ling-her-sen” instead of “FREE-ling-hy-zen” for Frelinghuysen, causing the room to erupt in laughter. Another went with “Lav-a-LITE” instead of “Lav-a-LET” for Lavallette. The most amusing moment was the attempt to pronounce Ho-Ho-Kus, which ranged from “HO-HO-kiss” to “ho-HO-cuss.”
Many of New Jersey’s city names are derived from languages other than English, such as Dutch and Native American languages. This contributes to the complex phonetics that make them such a tongue twister for out-of-staters.
While the video provides a good laugh, it also sheds light on the rich diversity and history that have shaped New Jersey’s cities and their names. And for those from out of state, it offers a quick lesson in how much there is to learn about this often underestimated state.
So the next time you’re navigating New Jersey’s highways and byways, spare a thought for those who are new to its linguistic landscape. And if you want to get a good laugh, maybe ask them to pronounce “Weehawken.”