NEW HAMPHIRE - In the Granite State, locals can tell you're "from away" the moment you open your mouth. While New England accents are famous for dropping "R"s, New Hampshire has a specific set of town names that serve as verbal traps for tourists heading up to the White Mountains.
You might think you know how to say names like Concord (it's Con-kud, not Con-cord) or Kancamagus (Kank-ah-mah-gus), but the ultimate stumper is a city that looks deceptively familiar to anyone who knows European geography.
The Winner: Berlin, New Hampshire
If you say it like the capital of Germany (Ber-LIN), you are doing it wrong. This northern industrial city in Coös County has a distinct pronunciation that has baffled visitors for over a century.
How to Pronounce It: BUR-lin
The emphasis is strictly on the first syllable. It rhymes with "Merlin" or "curling."
Why Is It Pronounced That Way?
The city was indeed named after Berlin, Prussia, in 1829. However, the pronunciation shifted over time. Local lore—and some historical records—suggest the stress shift was a deliberate patriotic choice during World War I to distance the town from the German enemy. Others argue it’s simply the natural result of the "Yankee" accent shifting stress to the first syllable (similar to how locals say CAL-ais in Maine). Regardless of the origin, saying Ber-LIN is a sure sign you aren't a local.
Honorable Mentions: If you master Berlin, try these other New Hampshire challenges:
- Milan: Just up the road from Berlin, and also pronounced wrong. It’s MY-lin, not Mi-LAN.
- Boscawen: Often butchered as Bos-cow-in, locals smooth it out to Boss-kwine or Boss-win.
- Amoskeag: A historic name in Manchester, pronounced Am-uh-skeg.
