By the way, did you know that the French say that English is simply French, poorly spoken? The Germans, of course, have quite a different take on that.

There is a lake in western Massachusetts that has 45 letters. Very few people can pronounce it. It fact, people who live there have given up and just call it Lake Webster after the town.

I live on Chautauqua St named after said Indian tribe, The word Chautauqua means two moccasins tied together, at least to the tribes that lived in the plains states. I am KS ad live right along the St Fe Trail.

There I also Blue Eye, AR and a Drummods, TN

Sounds like the lake my husband talks about. Maybe it is in Massachusetts. Only 39 letters, but I really don't know how to spell it. I just put down what he said the best I could.
"Lake Sha-gug-a-gug man-chug-a-gug she-bunna-gunna ga-mog.

See post 38 for definition.

In New Zealand our English has a lot of Maori place names, like Putaruru which means place of owls, ruru is the name for owls, And it is pronounced like Poo-ta-roo, Kia is the name for food and sounds like Kaae. Often get called in for Kai. We are a multi-cultural place, where I live had a strong Dutch community, a lot came out in the late 50's and 60's, and when they went back to Holland, they didn't even sound right, even thou they tried to preserve the language. Holland has changed but so has they, English and Maori words slipped into their every day speaking.

Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump (or which ever direction they go) is a place in Alberta Canada where the local Indians met and gathered their winter food. As the title suggests, they would build a run from that looked like a funnel from north of the cliffs. The funnel was made wide and directed the buffalo to a certain spot on the cliffs. The natives would then hunt for and direct the buffalo along the fields, getting help from more natives as the groups of buffalo advanced through the funnel. The buffalo would be in a panic by the time they got to the edge of the cliffs and would fall to their death. the natives would then work together to preserve the meat, then would take it home. Unfortunately, the head-smashed-in came from a younger native who wanted to know what it was like when the buffalo went over the bank, so he found a cave and got in it to watch the buffalo go over the cliff. You can imagine the rest. when the natives went to look for him, they found him, too late to save his life.
I was there last year at this time. It is now an international historical site. It is very beautiful there, and is very well set up and preserved. It is south of Calgary and is not exactly on the main roads, but is well worth the trip. Since there is not much in the area, they do have a small restaurant. There are a lot of first nation materials for purchase and to look at. I was very impressed with the work that had been done to explain and preserve the site.... Again, well worth the cost and time spent there....

When a fast food employee speaks illegibly, I look them in the eye and politely say to them...."I have no idea what you just said to me". Interestingly, they are then able to speak oh so much clearly! I think that someone "my age" calling them on their bad habits hopefully has a positive impact. I do this on the phone, too, if needed. No apologies here!

sandy

All those ogue ending mean by the water. My favorite is Happauge. (notice an a not an o) I call that town Jump the Pig

Canandauiga..A town in upstate NY. I use to work there.