In addition to a perfectly timed “Bless your heart,” Southerners have a way with words that could be credited back to our expanded vocabulary—compliments of some truly remarkable town names. We’ve generally mastered how to say Cadiz, Kentucky; and Thibodaux, Louisiana; though we still get caught up on Nacogdoches, Texas; Natchitoches, Louisiana; Champagnolle, Arkansas; and the big one: the Tchoutacabouffa River. Once you’ve mastered those few tongue-twisters, all the other names and syllables tend to fall into place.

But there are still folks who get stumped on a Southern name, perhaps even more hilariously so when they are caught mispronouncing on national television. This week, American Idol judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Ritchie—all notably Southern—took on one Alabama town name without much success.

In an episode on Sunday, March 16, worship leader Isaiah Moore from Oneonta, Alabama, was up to face the music. Before he came out, Underwood took a look at her call sheet and saw the town name. “What is that Alabama?” she asked. “Is it On-eonta or One-onta?”

Bryan laughed and repeated, “Not One-onta!” He added, “Oh-knee, Oh-knee-onta?” Ritchie, who is actually from Tuskegee, Alabama, chimed in, “We’ll find out in five more seconds.” (He was quiet during the exchange, suggesting that he just might have known the answer.)

As Moore took the stage, the contestant said, “What’s going on, guys? My name is Isaiah Moore. I’m 22; I’m from Oneonta, Alabama.” He pronounced his hometown, which is located just northeast of Birmingham in Blount County, as Ahn-ee-ahn-uh. The judges all looked at each other and repeated “Ahn-ee-ahn-uh!” with satisfaction. And of course, when the video made its way onto Instagram, Southern commenters had a field day. 

One user wrote: “The mural in Oneonta on the wall literally says “no matter how you say it!” Sure enough, in Oneonta, there’s a large mural by artist Sam Sanfilippo greeting folks that says: “Welcome to Oneonta. A great place, no matter how you pronounce it!”

Other users immediately thought of Alabama’s beloved television meteorologist, James Spann: “I read ‘Oneonta’ as though James Spann is saying it in the back of my mind.” Another chimed in with a hilarious caveat if you’re feelin’ fancy: “Yeah, it’s pretty much spoken as ON-ee-ON-uh or OWN-ee-ON-uh in Oneonta—might put the ‘T’ in there on formal occasions.”

We’re glad Oneonta is finally getting recognition for its local pronunciation. You may just want to take a day trip to this charming city—home to the Covered Bridge Festival—when you’re visiting our hometown.