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Six Florida Cities You May Be Mispronouncing

I’ve lived in Florida my entire life, but there are still some cities that I don’t properly pronounce. I went to elementary school in Dunedin so I know how to…

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Welcome sign entering the state of Florida southbound from Georgia along Interstate 95.

Photo by RAUL RODRIGUEZ

I've lived in Florida my entire life, but there are still some cities that I don't properly pronounce.

I went to elementary school in Dunedin so I know how to say that, but Thonotosassa always throws me. Here's a short list of city names that might even throw off Florida natives.

Apalachicola

This city is in the northwestern part of the state is actually not too hard to say correctly. It's at the mouth of the Apalachicola River, and while it looks like a mouthful, it's actually pronounced phonetically. Instead of Coca Cola, it's App-uh-lach-uh-cola.

2. Dunedin

Are you done eatin'? That's kind of how you say Dunedin. It’s pronounced, “duh-NEE-dn.” (As opposed to Doon-uh-din, which I've heard people say. Beautiful beaches in the Pinellas County city...and restaurants, too, so you never have to be done eatin'.

3. Immokalee

Here's how you say this city south of the bay area down near the Everglades: “uh-MAA-kuh-lee.” I used to cover high school football down there. They have some amazing athletes who've gone on to play in the NFL.

4. Kissimmee

I love going to Disney World and visiting Kissme. No! That's not how you say it. It's “Kuss-IM-mee." Emphasis on the "im."

5. Micanopy

This city is near the Alachua-Marion County line in north-central Florida. It’s situated in the middle of Gainesville and Ocala. You say: “mik-I-NOH-pee.”

6. Thonotosassa

Even reading this, I still can't say it the right way...it's like I have a mental block against it (the same way I can's say "Apocalypse." You say: “Tho-no-ta-SASS-a.”

Roxanne is a co-host on the MJ Morning Show and host of Middays on Q105 in Tampa Bay. She also hosts segments on The Current, which features local feel-good stories and health and wellness segments, and airs on five of the six Tampa-based Beasley Media Group stations. Roxanne has conducted hundreds of interviews, from athletes to Oscar winners, including Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Chadwick Boseman. She also specializes in media training, having worked with clients in the NFL, NBA and WWE for television, in print, and online. Roxanne is a published author and will be releasing a thriller novel in 2024. Her favorite thing in the world is being with her two daughters and husband. As a content creator for Q105, Roxanne writes about family activities in the Tampa Bay area, as well as reviews for local restaurants and travel.