6 Lakes in New York That People Never Pronounce Correctly

New York State has its fair share of towns and cities that are difficult to pronounce. In the Hudson Valley alone, we have places like Coxsackie, Accord, Poughquagh that always seem to get tongues twisted. Especially if they're not from the area.

New York also has a number of lakes that always seem to get mispronounced. Here are the top 6:

Skaneateles Lake

Skaneateles Lake is located in (drum roll) Skaneateles, NY. Located in Central New York, North of Ithaca and southwest of Syracuse, Skaneateles Lake is one of the main Finger Lakes in New York. According to Finger Lakes, the village around Skaneateles Lake is known to be "among the finest villages in all of the Finger Lakes."

I was first introduced to Skaneateles by a roommate who was from that area. She quizzed me on its pronunciation and I did in fact fail.

Despite the third letter being an "A" the proper pronunciation of the lake is "Ski-nee-at-liss." The term Skaneateles is derived from the Iroquois term for "Long Lake" according to the Skaneateles Village.

Chautauqua Lake

Chautauqua Lake is located on the Eastern side of Lake Erie in Chautauqua County. The lake itself is about 2 miles wide and 17 miles long. According to the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, the lake is commonly used for boating, fishing, and other water sports like kayaking and paddle boarding.

The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau shares that the name has ties to the Erie language. Many believe the name comes from a phrase meaning, "bag tied in the middle," "place where fish are taken out," or "two moccasins tied together." While there's no definitive answer, the lake is locally referred to as the "Thumb of the Finger Lakes."

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Chautauqua is another spot that people think they know how to pronounce, but often fumble on. The proper way to pronounce it is Shuh-tah-kwuh:

Honeoye Lake

Honeoye Lake is considered the tenth out of the eleven Finger Lakes in New York. Honeoye is south of Rochester, located in Ontario County. The lake is fairly modest spanning 4.5 miles long and only .8 miles wide according to the New York DEC.

Honeoye Lake is open for fishing, it has a public boat launch and even allows for ice fishing depending on weather conditions and safety. Many who visit or live in the area enjoy activities around the lake.

A bike ride around the lake is 19 miles according to Visit Finger Lakes.

The name Honeoye comes from the Senecas and means "lying finger." The proper way to pronounce it is Honey-Oy:

Canandaigua Lake

is another one of New York's Finger Lakes. This one is the westernmost lake out of what are considered the major Finger Lakes.

Canandaigua Lake has the Town of Canandaigua and Naples at its borders. The area is a hot spot for wine production with wineries, breweries, restaurants, gardens, and more for tourists to enjoy. The lake itself is open to boating, fishing, and swimming.

The name Canandaigua was also derived from the Seneca language. The original name, Kanandarque means "the chosen spot" according to Saunders Finger Lakes Museum.

The proper way to pronounce it is ka-nun-day-gwuh:

Lake Neatahwanta

Lake Neatahwanta is located in Oswego County. The lake is split between the Town of Granby and the City of Fulton.

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Small boat launches are available along the lake from the City of Fulton however the lake is often plagued by harmful algal blooms that prevent it from being a frequent swimming spot.

The name Neatahwanta is derived from the Iroquois and means "little lake near the big lake." This lake's name looks more intimidating than it is. The correct pronunciation for the lake is just Nee-et-tuh-want-uh.