Uncle Fred helps you sound like a local

Welcome to Austin.  We're proud to have you here.  One of the first things you'll notice is that some names in the area have a pronunciation unlike you've ever heard before.  Get used to it.  It's been this way for generations.

Here are some examples.  These are all .wav files.  Just click on the links and they should automatically play:

Boerne is a town west of San Antonio

Bowie -- As in Texas pioneer and the name sake for South Austin's James Bowie High School.  If you're talking rock star David Bowie, it's pronounced Bowie.

Buda is a growing suburb just south of Austin.  Legend has it the area was once a ranch run by a widow and the Spanish word for widow is viuda-- hence the pronunciation of the town name.

Burnet - Durnit, you need to learn how to pronounce the name of this town just northwest of Austin.  Here's a hint:  Carol Burnet doesn't say it the same way.

Cantú -  My family gives it the traditional Spanish pronunciation with emphasis on the U.  Most people give it a more English pronunciation Cantu and that's fine, too.

Coupland -- a lovely spot in the farmlands between Elgin and Taylor east of Austin.

Del Valle - This town is home to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Elgin - Another growing community.  This one is east of Austin on Highway 290 just past Manor.

Geezinslaws -- A progressive post modern country band.  Well actually, you be the judge.  They're just fun.  They play regularly at the Broken Spoke.

Govalle - This is a street in east Austin.

Gruene - This town is famous for it's legendary entertainment spot, Gruene Hall.

Guadalupe -- It's the street that runs along the west side of the University of Texas campus, otherwise knows as "the Drag."  But if you're talking about the patron saint of Mexico, it's pronounced Guadalupe

Huston-Tillotson - This is a historic Black college in east Austin.  It also happens to sit on one of the highest spots in the city.

Hutto -- It used to be a farm town.  But now the suburbs have reached this far east.

Koenig - This lane is a busy east-west thoroughfare through north Austin.

Kreuz - Yum.  Kreuz Market in Lockhart is famous for its Barbeque.  Lockhart is on US 183 about a half-hour drive south of Austin.

Lake Buchanan -- Just west of Burnet, this is one of the jewels of a chain we call the Highland Lakes.

Llano -- If you take Highway 71 west of Austin and go past the exit to Marble Falls and Burnet-- this is the next town up.  It really hops during deer hunting season.

Manchaca - This is the end of the road-- Manchaca Road.  It's a growing suburb proud of its Manchaca Volunteer Fire Department.  Interestingly the town is named after Jose Antonio Menchaca.

Manor -- This town east of Austin is home to Manor Downs, home of horse racing.

Mueller - Perhaps only Robert Mueller's family pronounced it like this.  But since our old airport was named after him, we learned to say that way.

Murchison - This middle school in Northwest Austin is a favorite cardboard-sledding area on those rare snow days.

Pedernales -- This river runs through the hill country toward Lake Travis.  There's a a nice Pedernales State Park near Johnson City.

Pflugerville -- This little town used to be way out there, but is now considered close-in on the northside just east of I-35.

San Jacinto is the way the street is pronounced here in Austin.  If you drive down to San Antonio you'll find it pronounced San Jacinto.

Starcke -- This is the hydroelectric dam that forms Lake Marble Falls.

Weir - Is a small town northeast of Georgetown. It's also the last name of local country singing legend Rusty Weir.

BTW-- The Voice of America provides a website to help pronounce lots of foreign names... from Aabalkin to Zyuganov. It has the click and listen function for them, too.  Try it.