Louisiana is a state that thrives on mystery, gumbo, and linguistic chaos. Between Cajun French, Creole flair, and a complete disregard for phonetic consistency, it’s a wonder any outsider makes it past the welcome sign without saying at least one town name like a confused tourist. If you’re strolling into “Natchitoches” saying it like it looks—cher, you might wanna sit down for this.
1. Natchitoches (NACK-uh-tish, not Natch-ee-toe-chees)
It’s legendary, it’s beautiful, and it’s here to humble your pronunciation confidence.
2. New Orleans (New OR-lunz or Nawlins, not New Or-LEENS)
If you say “Or-leens,” you’re either in a Broadway show or very lost.
3. Tchoupitoulas (CHOP-uh-too-lus, not Tuh-choo-pie-too-las)
It’s a street. It’s a rite of passage. And it’s not for the faint of tongue.
4. Atchafalaya (Ah-CHA-fuh-lie-uh, not At-chaff-a-lay-a)
A basin, a river, and a built-in way to separate locals from everyone else.
5. Opelousas (Ah-puh-LOO-sis, not Oh-pel-oo-sahs)
The name is spicy. Your pronunciation better be, too.
6. Houma (HO-mah, not How-ma)
Say it wrong and even the shrimp might give you side-eye.
7. Thibodaux (TIB-uh-doh, not Thib-oh-docks)
French spelling, Louisiana logic. You either know it or you don’t.
8. Ponchatoula (PON-cha-too-lah, not Punch-a-towel-uh)
No towels involved. Just strawberries and strong opinions.
9. Bourg (BOORG, not Berg)
Looks German, sounds Cajun, confuses everyone.
10. Carencro (CARE-in-crow, not Cuh-ren-sah-row)
Bonus points if you say it while eating boudin.
11. Parish (PARE-ish, not County)
Not a town name, but still—this is not a county, no matter how many maps say otherwise.
12. Gueydan (GAY-don, not Goo-ee-dan)
If you get this one right, you’ve probably been invited to a crawfish boil.
If you breezed through all 12, congrats—you’ve likely danced at a fais do-do and know how to eat crawfish without instructions. But if your tongue tripped and your face scrunched, it’s okay. Just remember: in Louisiana, the words are tricky, but the people are warm—especially if you bring beignets.
The post We Know You’re Not From Louisiana If You Mispronounce These 12 Names appeared first on When In Your State.