Words Some People Can't Pronounce, No Matter How Often They Try

angharad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

library, realtor, athlete, tsunami

December 2, 2006

tankexmortis commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

ambulance (seriously, I have friends that still struggle with this one)

December 2, 2006

pamelad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

ask (aks) government umbrella (umberella)

December 2, 2006

angharad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

february, wednesday, spaghetti

December 2, 2006

angharad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

mischievous

December 2, 2006

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Thanks, everyone! These are all great! I'm going to add them! :D

--Kaichi

December 2, 2006

gratitude commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

similar

particular

asterisk

December 3, 2006

pamelad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

secretary

December 4, 2006

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Once, again, I must say "Thanks!" for the words I had forgotten about. (^o^)

--Kaichi

December 5, 2006

pedalinfaith commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

OK, I'm having one of those "if I don't know what in the hell they are talking about, then they must be talking about me" moments. Either I'm completely oblivious to my blunders or I'm living in a pronunciation safe zone. Seriously, how does one mispronounce "Vietnamese" and "realtor" and "spaghetti" and "macrame"?

December 8, 2006

kad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

'realtor' often becomes 'reel-i-tur' when it should be 'reel-tur' or 're-uhl-tur.' as for vietnamese and spaghetti, i'm as perplexed as you are, pedalinfaith.

December 8, 2006

andrew.simone commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

I confess that I often find myself pronouncing realtor as 'reel-i-tur.'

I would remind word snoots (of which I am one) that perfection is the enemy of the good.

December 8, 2006

sarra commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

itinerary!

December 9, 2006

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

"Vietnamese" often becomes "Vietmanese," in my area (Texas). "Spaghetti" sometimes turns into "Pasketti," and "macrame" is, on occasion, pronounced "muh KRAYME" by those who don't know how to use the pronunciation guides in their dictionaries.

Thanks to sarra for "itinerary," as well, which stuck another one into my head: "potpourri," which I have heard someone say as "POT purry." ;P

December 12, 2006

angharad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

vice-versa.

Small children purportedly say "pusketti" instead of "spaghetti".

December 14, 2006

angharad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Me, I'm puzzled by 'ambulance'.

December 14, 2006

yoshiyahu commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

There are two common usages, CLIToris and cliTORis. And since clitoris is often thought of part-and-parcel with vagina, pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable, perhaps the emphasis on the second syllable carries over. However, those who say cliTORis usually sound uncomfortable with the pronunciation, not sure themselves whether they should be saying it one way or another. This is probably at least partly because we usually think of it as 'clit' anyway and only say 'clitoris' when we need to go more clinical and formal. So while it's a different kind of pronunciation problem, I humbly offer it for your consideration.

December 14, 2006

yoshiyahu commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

This word and its variants are often pronounced (and even spelled -- google it) "drownding."

December 14, 2006

inkhorn commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

If I hear someone say nuk-uh-lir one more time, I'm going to explode.

December 14, 2006

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Thanks, yoshiyahu! I had forgotten about "drowning" coming out as "drownding." People here do that, too. And I don't know many people who use "clitoris," but if they did, they'd probably stumble on it, too. ;P

"Ambulance" gets changed into "AMBA lance" around here. Just as "library" often becomes "LIE berry." *shudders* I also just remembered "tubular," which sometimes sounds like "toobler."

December 16, 2006

asativum commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

I've heard suite pronounced suit in the South (of the US).

December 16, 2006

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Asativum, thanks! I've heard that one, too.

December 17, 2006

pamelad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Words that sound so differently from the way they're written: banal, macabre, segue

December 17, 2006

veruca commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Picture...Believe it or not I work with several people that pronounce it the same as "pitcher."

January 2, 2007

seanahan commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

I have one at my office too, Veruca.

January 3, 2007

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Thanks, pamelad and veruca! I'd forgotten how many people around here say "pitcher" instead of "picture." ;P

January 4, 2007

gloriaha commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

espresso ('expresso')

etcetra ('excetra')

cinnamon ('cimmanon')

wash ('warsh')

pen ('pin')

homogenous (it's hoMOGenous, not homo-genius!!! This is not to be confused with homogeneous. Note the spelling.)

err ('air' is incorrect! it's supposed to be 'ur' although widespread and prolonged mispronunciation have almost cause 'air' to trump the correct 'ur')

January 6, 2007

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Thanks, Gloriaha! I had wash, already, but none of the others. (^-^)

January 10, 2007

pamelad commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Anemone often ends up as anenome. Hydrangeas - hyderanges. And instead of a frangipani, my grandma had a fransypansy.

January 15, 2007

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Thanks, again, pamelad! This list seems to be never ending. (O.o)

January 19, 2007

veruca commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Chipotle (chi-pote-lay) gets pronounced like chipolte (chi-pole-tay) all the time.

January 19, 2007

kaichi commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Thanks, veruca! I should not have forgotten Chipotle, especially considering how many restaurants in my area throw that word onto half the dishes on their menu. It's become a stylish word!

January 25, 2007

kraduate commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

My husband says samwich instead of sandwich.

LIEberry for library is common where I'm from.

October 14, 2008

hereticaneue commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

i LOVE this list and those who have contributed to it. :)

September 15, 2009

Telofy commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

For “pin�? and “pen�? see, well, pin-pen merger.

September 15, 2009

michaelt42 commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

As most people cannot differentiate in their pronunciation between presence and presents, one or the other deserves a place in this list

October 30, 2013

michaelt42 commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Even some TV cooks get tagliatelle wrong. And lasagne gets apparently singularised to lasagna , even before the horsemeat scandal in Europe

October 30, 2013

michaelt42 commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Terpsichore dances to a beat of four!

October 30, 2013

michaelt42 commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

George Bush used to be ribbed for noocular; I reckon it's very common but also not readily detected.

October 30, 2013

bilby commented on the list words-some-people-can-t-pronounce-no-matter-how-often-they-try

Italian singular and plural never transfer to English.

+ "I had spaghetti last night."

- "Oh, how were they?"

As weird as it sounds to a English-speaking native, that is exactly what an Italian would say.

Inwardly I wince when I've had to order "two cappuccinos" in a cafe in Australia :-/

October 30, 2013