One of the first things new Boise residents talk about is how hard some street names are to pronounce. That's why so many people just avoid saying them and instead say, "I work by the Jimmy Johns on Vista," instead of "I work close to Vista and Kootenai." If you avoid saying street names because you don't know how to pronounce them correctly and you're afraid you'll sound stupid, we got you!

Why are Boise Street Names So Hard To Pronounce?

Believe it or not, Boise is rich in cultural diversity and our history is influenced by those cultures a lot. That diversity comes from the Native American tribes that lived here when French Canadian fur traders and Chinese immigrants found their way to Idaho. Our street names come from all kinds of languages and ethnic backgrounds. The rules of those languages are a lot different from those of American English, so many of these words have been anglicized, making them sound a lot different from their origin. Boise is pronounced "BOY-see," but the French origin is pronounced "bwah-SEE."

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Many of Boise's street names reflect the diverse cultural history and native traditions of those who originally lived here. Nez Perce Street is named after the Nimi'ipuu people, whom French trappers misidentified. More on that below. Boise comes from the French word "les bois," meaning "the woods." Payette was named after a fur trader named Francois Payette.

Why is it important to pronounce these streets correctly?

When you take the time to learn how to say these street names correctly, you'll also learn a little about our city's history, and it will make you appreciate it more, too! Not every street name is important to pronounce correctly. We think there are five regularly mispronounced streets that everyone should know and one that doesn't matter how you pronounce it.

5 Boise Streets You Need To Know How To Say and 1 You Don't

Gallery Credit: Marco

Are You Idaho Enough to Correctly Pronounce These 10 Places?

New to Idaho? Welcome...but, good luck friends! Only the REAL ones will be able to pronounce these tricky Idaho streets, towns, and terms.

Sure, flocks of people are moving to the Treasure Valley and the greater Gem State-- but do they really "stick out like a sore thumb" if their license plates get switched over? Most people can tell if you aren't an Idaho local just by the way you pronounce these special Idaho places.

Gallery Credit: Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM

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