Mispronounced names

Even those who are familiar with English sounds may be in trouble when they have to pronounce certain words or names. I have selected a few items that are a bit difficult for foreigners. If you check You Tube you can hear the way native speakers pronounce them and practice your pronunciation. Unfortunately I can’t manage to transcribe the phonetic symbols on my blog or on my FB. If you guys remember any other 'difficult' names, please feel free to add them to my list.

Place names

Arkansas, US  
   

Bangkok, Thailand

BatonRouge, Louisiana

Beijing, China

BelvoirCastle, UK

Boca Raton, Florida

Brisbane, Australia  

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Gloucester, UK

Gotham, UK

Houston, Texas

Illinois, Chicago

Leicester Square, London

Louisville, Kentucky

Melbourne, Australia

Montreal, Canada

New Jersey, US

Niger

Plymouth, UK

Qatar

Quebec, Canada

Reykjavik, Iceland

Tottenham Court Road, London

Vermont, US

Worcester, Massachusetts

Yosemite National Park, California

People’s names

Al Gore

Andy Warhol

AnthonyHopkins

Ava Gardner, American film star

Beethoven

Caesar

Francis Ford Coppola, American film director

Henry Thoreau, American writer

Jack Kerouac, American writer

Michelangelo

Ralph Fiennes, English film star

RonaldReagan, US president

SeanConnery, 5th (yes, 5th, not 1st) 007 film actor

Sinead, Irish singer

Sinn Féign, Irish political party

Somerset Maugham, English writer

Thomas Wolfe, American writer

Thames River, UK

Truman Capote, American writer

Vincent van Gogh

Professor Charles Xavier, comic book character

YulBrynner, American actor

Brand names

Hyundai, South Korean car

Ikea, Swedish furniture chain