Joseph Rose | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Are you mispronouncing these 30 Oregon words? (Probably)

People are moving to Oregon and butchering the names of towns, counties, rivers, streets and lighthouses. Presidential candidates can't properly say the state's name. In fact, a lot of longtime residents are guilty of mispronouncing places in the state. Ugh! The Oregonian/OregonLive decided it was high time to help with an official pronunciation guide to 30 of the most mangled names on the map. Click through the slideshow and hit the play button to hear the proper pronunciation of each place.

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Aloha

If you're pronouncing it like the Hawaiian word, you've got it all wrong.

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Oregon

Psst! All you newcomers looking for paradise and politicians campaigning for votes ( we're looking at you, Bernie Sanders ), it's not pronounced Ory-gone.

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Yachats

As residents of this small coastal town will tell you, it's not YAK-ats or Ya-CHATS.

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Gleneden Beach

Nice place. But it's not Glenn-e-den.

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VT

There are still people who call this town south of Salem AL-bunny. Nope-any.

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Madras

This city in Jefferson County gets its name butchered all the time. Note: It was not named after a middle-eastern educational institution and shouldn't be pronounced like one.

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Wallowa

Trivia: Wallowa is a Nez Perce word describing a triangular structure of stakes that in turn supported a network of sticks called lacallas to form a fish trap.

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Nyssa

In the 1830s, the original Fort Boise was established near this city on the Oregon-Idaho border. The city was originally a shipping center for sheep and stock on the Union Pacific's main trunk line.

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Willamette

It's not WILL-a-MET. It's also not Will-a-MA-TAY, even though the name is derived from the French pronunciation of a Clackamas Native American village.

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Glisan

We're all saying it wrong. Interestingly, Portlanders have accepted the wrong pronunciation of this street name as the norm. According to the Oregon Historical Society, the Glisan family didn't go by GLEE-son, like the name of the comedian who starred in "The Honeymooners." It should actually sound like "listen." Glisan Street was named after of Rodney Glisan, a U.S. Army frontier medical doctor. Still, the fact is everyone pronounces it "Glee-son." The pronunciation police are fighting a losing battle on this one.

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Heceta Head

It's not “HECK – ah – Ta” Head Lighthouse on the Oregon Coast.

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Molalla

The Molala were a Native American tribe in the Cascade foothills of Clackamas County. And of course settlers just had to add an extra "L."

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Couch

It's not "KOW-ch."

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Shaniko

This remote city in Wasco City is classified as ghost town, even though 36 people still live there, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. (Thirty-six ghosts you mean!)

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Umatilla

It's not "Ooo-ma-tilla."

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NWu

It's not "TOO-ma-lo."

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Deschutes

Beer, river, eagles: A classic Oregon name.

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Schuyler Street

It's "Sky-ler" not "SHOO-ler."

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Philomath

Philomath is Greek for "love of learning."

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Clatskanie

If you're calling it "Clat-skan-EEE," you'r not alone. But that doesn't mean you're right.

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Champoeg

The "G" is not only silent, it turns into a long "E."

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Siletz

Not "Sigh-letz."

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Flavel

If you haven't visited the Flavel House, you're not living. Just make sure you say it correctly.

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Weidler

Yes, Oregon has legalized marijuana. But Weidler still isn't pronounced "WEED-ler."

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Ochoco

It's not "Oh-CHOCK-o."

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Coquille

Located near the southern coast, Coquille is 2.8 square miles, of which 2.76 square miles is land and .04 square miles is water.

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Nehalem

Nehalem was named for the Nehalem Indians, also known as the Tillamook.

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Yaquina

It's not "Ya-KEEN-a."

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Paulina

This tiny central Oregon town was not named after Paulina Porizkova. It was named after Paiute Chief Paulina -- and it's not "Pa-LEEN-a."

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