The 12 Leeds place names that are mispronounced most by people who are not from here

From Stourton to Wortley, there is no shortage of difficult-to-pronounce place names in Leeds – especially if you’re from out of town.

By James Connolly

Published 15th Jan 2024, 16:30 GMT

Updated 15th Jan 2024, 16:57 GMT

We asked Yorkshire Evening Post readers for the places that bamboozle newcomers, and they came back with a handful of tongue-twisters.

They include towns on the outskirts of Leeds that look as though they’d be pronounced one way, only for visitors to discover that they sound entirely different.

So, without further ado, here are the top places in the city that are all-too-often pronounced incorrectly –

Here are 12 of the trickiest place names to pronounce if you're not from Leeds.

1. Most mispronounced places

Here are 12 of the trickiest place names to pronounce if you're not from Leeds. Photo: National World

Adel, home to the magical post-war attraction York Gate Garden, is a suburb of Leeds which is often mispronounced. When Yorkshire Evening Post readers were asked which places in the city get the most botched pronunciations, Adel was easily the most popular choice. When spoken correctly, it should rhyme with "paddle", rather than with "ladle" as it is often mistaken.

2. Adel

Adel, home to the magical post-war attraction York Gate Garden, is a suburb of Leeds which is often mispronounced. When Yorkshire Evening Post readers were asked which places in the city get the most botched pronunciations, Adel was easily the most popular choice. When spoken correctly, it should rhyme with "paddle", rather than with "ladle" as it is often mistaken. Photo: Gary Longbottom

The popular attraction and well-loved beauty spot covers more than 700 acres of rolling parkland with lakes, woodlands, gardens, cafes and playgrounds, as well as a miniature zoo. But despite its popularity, Yorkshire Evening Post reader Diane Willock said she's heard it pronounced "Roundy Park", instead of "Roundhay Park". The green space is pronounced as it is spelled.

3. Roundhay Park

The popular attraction and well-loved beauty spot covers more than 700 acres of rolling parkland with lakes, woodlands, gardens, cafes and playgrounds, as well as a miniature zoo. But despite its popularity, Yorkshire Evening Post reader Diane Willock said she's heard it pronounced "Roundy Park", instead of "Roundhay Park". The green space is pronounced as it is spelled. Photo: Simon Hulme

According to Yorkshire Evening Post readers, Garforth is also pronounced incorrectly by people from outside of Leeds. All too often, the emphasis is put on the "forth" part of the the town to the west of the city, when it should actually be on the "Gar" prefix. This is the same problem faced by another Leeds town...

4. Garforth

According to Yorkshire Evening Post readers, Garforth is also pronounced incorrectly by people from outside of Leeds. All too often, the emphasis is put on the "forth" part of the the town to the west of the city, when it should actually be on the "Gar" prefix. This is the same problem faced by another Leeds town... Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Just as the emphasis is placed on the wrong part of "Garforth", the same is true for "Horsforth", according to readers of the Yorkshire Evening Post. One reader said that the emphasis being put on the second part of the place name makes both towns "sound very posh".

5. Horsforth

Just as the emphasis is placed on the wrong part of "Garforth", the same is true for "Horsforth", according to readers of the Yorkshire Evening Post. One reader said that the emphasis being put on the second part of the place name makes both towns "sound very posh". Photo: Bruce Rollinson

Guiseley has been incorrectly pronounced as "Gizly", says Yorkshire Evening Post reader Jo Williams-Clarke.

6. Guiseley

Guiseley has been incorrectly pronounced as "Gizly", says Yorkshire Evening Post reader Jo Williams-Clarke. Photo: Tony Johnson

Leeds Yorkshire Evening Post