How to pronounce and spell Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the Capital of Scotland and has held this position since 1437. It is located in the south-east of Scotland beside the Firth of Forth, near the North Sea. Due to the history of Edinburgh there is vast collection of Medieval and Georgian architecture including numerous stone tenements still used as accommodation for its many residents. Edinburgh is often considered one of the most picturesque cities in Europe.

However, Edinburgh it seems to be one of those difficult words to spell correctly on first attempt and pronounce.

There are many incorrect spellings for Edinburgh, some of the common ones are below

Edingburgh, Edimburgh, Ediburgh, Edinbugh, Edimburgo, Edinborough, Edinbourgh

Nevertheless the correct spelling is

Edinburgh

Part of the many variations in the incorrect spelling is due to pronunciation of Edinburgh in different accents. So follow this link to get an audio pronunciation.

Audio link on correct pronunciation

The colloquial pronunciation "Embra" or "Embro" has also known to be been used. Edinburgh is also known by the name of Auld Reekie (old smokey) due to historic reasons when homes were heated by wood and coal fires releasing all their smoke into the city air.

Edinburgh has also been known as Dunedin, deriving from the scottish gaelic Dùn Èideann