I am a woman of many pet peeves (which will most definitely be explored in future blosts). However, one of my biggest pet peeves of all time is when people mispronounce words. I am constantly surrounded by English language bloopers from everyone (family members, peers, television "characters", strangers in public places, EVERYone). Here, I have compiled a short list of some of my least favorites:
1. Fauxword = the mispronunciation of forward. There is clearly an R in there, people! (Sidenote: if you are a Bachelorette fan you've heard Ashley use this old chestnut a time or twelve.)
2. Warshington = the mispronunciation of Washington. I don't care where you are from, no matter who or what you are speaking of (the state, the D.C., former President, Denzel) there is NOT an R in this word!
3. Supposebly = the mispronunciation of supposedly. You should not be replacing the d with a b. They are two completely different letters of the alphabet.
4. Q-pon = the mispronunciation of coupon.
5. Woof = the mispronunciation of wolf. This is the sound a dog makes; nothing more.
6. Elemenary = the mispronunciation of elementary. The T is not meant to be silent!
7. Punkin = the mispronunciation of pumpkin. This is only okay if you're using it as a term of endearment (See also: puddin').
8. Libary = the mispronunciation of library. The only time this word should EVER be mispronounced is if you are a) under 5 years old and/or b) you've never actually been in one or c) you are Strawberry Shortcake, in which case the odds are pretty good you frequent the Liberry (I am SUCH a child of the 80s).
9. Acrost = the mispronunciation of across. Again, adding letters is a no, no.
10. Heighth = the mispronunciation of height. This is only acceptable if you talk with a lisp or have a speech impediment. The rest of you should be ashamed (*wags finger*)!
I apologize if you are guilty of one (or more) of the above and I have offended but the good news is . . . it's your turn to vent . . . what mispronounced words make YOU loco en la cabeza?
My faves are:
ReplyDeleteOfften...the 't' is silent
an oldie but still a goodie:
axs, as in "ask me a question"
an ax is a tool to chop down a tree...geez
and the one that really grinds my mill...
Febuary...as a broadcaster I hear national commercials misprounce this month and I'm thinking to myself...who produced this crap?
If we can't pronounce it correctly on TV, Radio and mass audio media...no one will ever pronounce it correctly!
There are many that I see and hear, daily. And they used to drive me batty as they do you but I've become more forgiving in my dotage. Or maybe just sloppy?
ReplyDeleteGeneral:
ReplyDeleteSomethink...or any other word that ends with -ing. When did the letter 'g' start having a hard 'k' sound? I don't know either.
Engineering related:
Fleg-zser...the mispronunciation of the word flexure. Should be pronounced flek-sher.
E-centric...the mispronunciation of the word eccentric. There is a double 'c' for a reason, oh highly educated engineers.
EXcape instead of escape.....the only time this word should be pronounced this way is if you are referring to the 90's R&B girl group Xscape (featuring a young Kandi Burruss, now an Atlanta Housewife)
ReplyDeletePS...good one with #10...forgot that one!!!
@Caitlin...just thought of another one along those same lines. Just heard one of the SportsCenter guys on ESPN say EX-specially.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when people say "nu-q-ler" instead of "nu-clear" - especially when people in the US Government do it. Jimmy Carter does it, too, and I think he has a degree in nuclear physics.
ReplyDelete