I’d like to introduce you to the way we say things around Pleasure Island. Regional pronunciation is not unique to our area; I’m sure you have roads, towns, and even foods that take a little insider knowledge to pronounce correctly back in your home town. To familiarize you with the wacky way we pronounce some words, here’s a bit of insight for your next visit to Wilmington and Carolina Beach, North Carolina.
Pleasure Island Pronunciation Guide
Kure Beach
Kure Beach is perhaps the most mispronounced word on the island and one that you simply cannot avoid during your stay. I remember when I thought it was pronounced “curry” and proudly flaunted my pronunciation to anyone who would listen. WRONG. It’s not “curry”, or “cure”, or “kurr”. The correct way to pronounce the name of Carolina Beach’s closest neighbor is “cure-E”. Think of Madame Curie discovering radium and winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry back in 1911.
Topsail Beach
If you think Kure has a funky pronunciation, let me introduce you to our northern beach neighbor. The name Topsail Beach looks pretty straightforward. We recognize the words “top” and “sail” and simply combine them to form this nautically named location, right? Nope. While locals are used to hearing the pronunciation “top sail”, you might be confused when you hear people discussing a location known as Topsul. That’s right, locals pronounce it Top-sul Island.
Kerr Avenue
Now we’ve come to a tricky one. Even amongst locals, there is an ongoing debate regarding the correct way to pronounce this street in Wilmington. If you venture off the island during your visit, you might be guided to take this popular road to your destination. The most common pronunciation is “Car”, although many locals will argue that the historically correct pronunciation is “Curr”.
Airlie Gardens
With 67 acres of gardens, Airlie Gardens is the perfect spot for an afternoon stroll or guided tour. It’s come to my attention that some visitors want to add a bit of pirate-flair to this well-known local destination and pronounce it “Arr-lee” Gardens. I’ve also heard it mispronounced “Arr-lie” and “Air-lie”. For the record, it’s pronounced “Air-lee”.
OTB
I’m throwing this acronym into the mix because many visitors have asked what it means. OTB stands for “Over the Bridge”, and it’s a testament to how much we locals love our island. You could be telling us about the best restaurant you’ve ever eaten at, but if we have to go across Snow’s Cut Bridge to get there we suddenly lose interest. When possible, we like to stay put in Carolina Beach and Kure Beach. If we’re being cheeky you may also hear OTFB, which I’m not going to spell out for you here.
No matter how you say it, I know you’ll enjoy your next visit to Caroline Beach and Kure Beach.
Still have a pronunciation question? If you come across another confusing Wilmington-area word, add a comment below. I’ll fill you in on the way most locals say it.
