Overview

• Residents report hearing “Bark-island” and “Bark-iz-land” frequently, especially from people who are not from the area.
• Several say mispronunciations crop up most when giving their address to utility providers over the phone.
• Locals describe the village as affluent, friendly and distinctly rural, noting amenities such as a cricket club, shop, post office and pubs.
• On-the-record voices include Shaun Gray, Ken Mager, Janine Branscombe and Jerrel Rickman, who each affirm the soft-S pronunciation.
• Barkisland is in Calderdale near Ripponden and Sowerby Bridge, with these accounts first reported by Yorkshire Live and then widely republished.