Why Is Gloucester Pronounced Gloster?
The English cathedral city of Gloucester is pronounced “Gloster”; it is in the country of Gloucestershire (pronounced “Gloster-sher” – pronouncing the “shire” part of English county names to rhyme with “ire” or “fire” will immediately mark you out as being an American). Why is cester pronounced STER? Oxford English Dictionary offers: “The history of the …