MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > Words you pronounced wrong

Words you pronounced wrong

posted 3 years ago by [deleted]
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I was in my fifties when I learned that 'chasm' is pronounced 'casm'. And I had to be corrected by a guy who speaks English as a second language.

Hirsute. No a big deal, but I didn't realize that it was pronounced 'hirsuit'.

Bury, buried. My wife corrected me on this when I was in my 30s. I always said it like it's spelled, 'brrr-y' rather than the correct "berry". In my defense though, I've occasionally encountered other people who pronounce it wrong. We were watching a movie some nights ago and one the actors pronounced it my way, so now I'm not sure I'm wrong.

About. I'm Canadian and I pronounce it 'abowt'. Apparently, I should be pronouncing it 'aboot' according to Americans, LOL.

[–] sslssg (35199) 3 years ago

I think so many pronunciations are regional. I'm from western Canada, and I can really hear different eastern Canadian accents. There is also a prairie accent that is mostly in rural communities.

I do say scone as like ice cream 'cone' and not scon like they do in England.

It's nice to be able to search pronunciations now, I read a lot and have learned many new words in books with no idea how to pronounce them.

[–] ColumboKate (5788) 3 years ago

This is a huge debate in England 😄 usually northerners pronounce it scon but midlands and South say scone (cone).

Same as with which goes first, jam or cream.

Fights have occurred over these regional differences.

I say scon with jam first then cream on top.

[–] sslssg (35199) 3 years ago

My partner is English South African and they make fun of me all the time with my pronunciation, but I argue that in English class we were always taught that an e at the end made it a long vowel sound.

Same with vase. According to English rules it should be a long vowel sound. If it was supposed to be like pause, then it should have an au in it. I am willing to give it an aw sound if it's more than $100 though, but I can't call a $5 vase from ikea or walmart a Vause.

I will say that I'm sticky with words originating from French. Home and Garden network drives me nuts when they talk about the Foy-Errrr.

[–] ColumboKate (5788) 3 years ago

I pronounce it Vaahz.

[–] sslssg (35199) 3 years ago

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to describe. If it's cheap it's a vase (like phase), but if it's expensive it's a vaahz.

[–] ColumboKate (5788) 3 years ago

😄

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

i always remember being told once that you should never judge someone for mispronouncing a world, because that means they read it, presumably in a book.

i just found out that i was saying hegemony wrong. not that it's a word i throw around a lot...but it came up in a book i read recently, and i felt humbled to find out i was saying it wrong, at least in my head. not sure if it's a word i've ever thrown into a conversation.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (21722) 3 years ago

“because that means they read it, presumably in a book”

That’s a great way of looking at it.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] beantown23 (1438) 3 years ago

Vagina. I always read and pronounced it Vag i na. A friend had brought a dirty paperback novel to the treehouse and was reading it aloud and I interrupted him to ask what is a va gina much to the laughter of my friends.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Then there are those words that sorta sound like other words.

I always snicker when I hear the words 'uvula' and 'masticate'.

[–] nyctc7 (44116) 3 years ago

Years ago, I had a girlfriend who pronounced "carafe" as care-ah-fey. I said, it's "kah-raff" but she wouldn't believe me. I'm glad we eventually broke up.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

LOL. I'm gonna start telling people 'oh, but the original French pronunciation is care-ah-fey".

Similarly, I read some girl's Tweet that she deliberately pronounces meme as "me-me" just to drive her bf nutz.

[–] nyctc7 (44116) 3 years ago

I'm still not sure if it is clit-or-is or cli-tore-us

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

I've heard it pronounced both ways myself. My wife pronounces it the second way when we... uh, are hanging out.

[–] TheMan18 (13188) 3 years ago

Lots, really.

But I will think of a few.

Gemini - I used to pronounce as "ghe-mee-nee" instead of "dje-mee-na-y".

Continuum - as "conteenUUM" rather than "contEEniu-um".

Certain bands' names here and there and even BRAND names. Will think of some later.

[–] Carrot (1725) 3 years ago

Turmeric. All this time I've been mispronouncing it as toomeric. I'm not sure were the extra 'r' sound went. I think sherbet stole it.