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How to pronounce Würselen

‚Würselen‘, a word that can really brake an English tongue or rather can make it helpless. You cannot avoid to pronounce it wrong because of this mutated vowel ‚ü‘ that does not compare to anything in English. A first approach may be to just use a plain ‘u’ instead. Then, Würselen sounds a little bit like Jerusalem, just try ‘Wursalen’ and it is not that far away.

‚Wormsalt', the original name of Würselen

You really would like to call the city by its name a millenium ago. Then, it was called ‘Wormsalt’ and it meant just what you do understand. The word ‘Worm’ reflects to the river ‘Wurm’ which really worms it way through a steep valleys to the north, Würselen borders onto the river Wurm. People say that salt was found on the banks of that little river.

‚Wöschele', the true name of Würselen

In Würselen, a strong dialect is spoken. In this language the name of the city is 'Wöschele'. However, this is not much better in English. By the way, if you ever visit Würselen you will see that the people in Würselen speak in general the German with a little touch to 'singing' and you will be able to understand them. If they speak their dialect Germans even from the closeby Düsseldorf will not have any chance.

Historic Names

Year of the document

Name of Würselen

870

Uuormsalt

1115

Wunzelen

1214

Worsele

1239

Worsolden

1242

Worsoldia

1258

Urselden

1260

Wurselden

1270

Wuorselde

1274

Worsoldia

1279

Worsoldia

1308

Wurselde

1350

Worsil

1350

Wursulden

1370

Woirseldem

1372

Woerselden

1373

Wrsele

1373

Wurselden

1376

Worselde

1383

Wursel

1394

Worsel

1424

Wurselen

1445

Worsulden

1479

Wursell

1479

Woerselen

1486

Wurseld

1487

Wuerselden

1529

Wurzellen

1533

Wursulen

1533

Wursalen

1540

Wurseln

1554

Würßelen

1563

Wurstelen

1581

Wuerselen

1581

Würschlen

1588

Würßel

1611

Würselen

1710

Würselen

 

Source: “Rheinischer Städteatlas Würselen”

English spoken

If you speak English in Würselen, plain English, not that dialect you use in 'Liverpool' or 'El Paso, New Mexico' where the author had been in trouble to order beer or a teqilla, respectively :-) , you will probably get an friendly answer in broken English as everywhere in Germany.

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