100 Most Often Mispronounced Words and Phrases

[VanIsle]

What strikes me is that language is not a concrete entity. It is ever changing, constantly on the move. Things that have become perfectly well ingrained in our language were likely these exact same sources of annoyance. Take 'alright' for example. It gets used a lot now, despite being not quite 'all right'.

I don't remember the year (thank goodness) but I do remember being taught in school that the spelling of the words "all right" had been changed to one word as in "alright". I still like it better as two. Things used to be extra-ordinary and now they are extraordinary but pronounced xtrordinary. So much easier to explain when it was extra-ordinary.

 

[VanIsle]

Another one I've always been curious about, is it "skid road" or "skid row"?

To the best of my knowledge - it's skid row. I know when I was little I thought it was road but it seems to me that somewhere along the way I was either taught that it was row or perhaps just read it in a book.

 

[VanIsle]

Some are kinda funny! I would seriously have to ridicule a friend or coworker if they pronounced things like "bob wire" as opposed to "barb wire".

Or "bidness" instead of "business"... :lol:

This is another thing that - when we were kids we thought it was bobwire. I was later taught that it is called barbed wire but the dictionary seems to agree that it is both barb wire and barbed wire. Kind of fits right in there with a steam iRON or a steam i-urn. I hear the kids call it iRon while I call it an i-urn. Did you learn to say mirrow or mirror?

 

[VanIsle]

It's definitely "spitting image".

Thanks everyone for the "spitting image" - I guess it's the winner. Ha - and I thought everyone else was wrong.
JLM - you get bugged about February. What about Library (Libary) or Ambliance in stead of ambulance. :smile: No one has mentioned basketti instead of spaghetti!!!:lol::lol:
Okay - I'll quit.

 

[In Between Man]

This is another thing that - when we were kids we thought it was bobwire. I was later taught that it is called barbed wire but the dictionary seems to agree that it is both barb wire and barbed wire. Kind of fits right in there with a steam iRON or a steam i-urn. I hear the kids call it iRon while I call it an i-urn. Did you learn to say mirrow or mirror?

:lol::lol::lol:

i - Ron...i -urn ... hmmm, I can't remember which one I use, i-urn ... i think

sorry, are you saying mirr -ow- as in "ow! my foot hurts" ?

 

[Kreskin]

My dad has the word 'anesthesia' so screwed up I still don't know how to pronounce it.

 

[In Between Man]

My dad has the word 'anesthesia' so screwed up I still don't know how to pronounce it.

ann - a - stee - zee - a... i think, :lol:

 

[VanIsle]

:lol::lol::lol:

i - Ron...i -urn ... hmmm, I can't remember which one I use, i-urn ... i think

sorry, are you saying mirr -ow- as in "ow! my foot hurts" ?

No - as in mirr-owe (you owe me money)

 

[VanIsle]

My dad has the word 'anesthesia' so screwed up I still don't know how to pronounce it.

Dictionary shows:
(anÅÃs th"ÆzhÃ)
So it looks like it says an es thee sha

 

[In Between Man]

No - as in mirr-owe (you owe me money)

oh, then I say "mirror", but when I say it casually in conversation it kinda sounds like "mere", mirror but quicker

 

[In Between Man]

Dictionary shows:
(anÅÃs th"ÆzhÃ)
So it looks like it says an es thee sha

ohhhhhh!!!!!! that's better! :lol::lol::lol:

 

[Kreskin]

Dictionary shows:
(anÅÃs th"ÆzhÃ)
So it looks like it says an es thee sha

My dad the old frenchman he was pronounced it something like an-es-tee-sia. I try to avoid use of it in public because I always end up saying it his way.

 

[In Between Man]

It funny to see that ones your guilty of in the past.

Like "supposably" instead of the correct "supposedly"

OR

"expresso" instead of the correct "espresso"

 

[Cliffy]

To the best of my knowledge - it's skid row. I know when I was little I thought it was road but it seems to me that somewhere along the way I was either taught that it was row or perhaps just read it in a book.

A skid road is a logging term. It is a crude road made by dropping the blade on a skidder while hauling trees out of the forest (or what is left of it!).

 

[JLM]

I don't remember the year (thank goodness) but I do remember being taught in school that the spelling of the words "all right" had been changed to one word as in "alright". I still like it better as two. Things used to be extra-ordinary and now they are extraordinary but pronounced xtrordinary. So much easier to explain when it was extra-ordinary.

I can remember 50 years ago my mother (who had a very "English" upbringing) saying "Xtrordinary"- I think a lot of the conflict is due to English vs. American. Ever since, I've wondered about the pronunciation of that word. I play scrabble a lot and it just blows the mind what the Scrabble dictionary accepts as words- my old English teachers would turn in their graves.

 

[TenPenny]

ann - a - stee - zee - a... i think, :lol:

Even worse, think about using these two words together:

anaesthesia

anaesthetist

 

[JLM]

One that really used to irk me years ago (haven't heard it so much lately) is the mispronunciation of the City of "New Westminster"- "Westminister" just drove me crazy.

 

[TenPenny]

One that really used to irk me years ago (haven't heard it so much lately) is the mispronunciation of the City of "New Westminster"- "Westminister" just drove me crazy.

Me, I like Worcestershire Sauce.

 

[JLM]

Me, I like Worcestershire Sauce.

Oooooooooh Woostisure. I know them Englishers have problems with their own language- there's a town in Cornwall named Mousehole, but pronounced "mozzle".

 

[YukonJack]

Being an immigrant who still (and probably will forever) spak with a strong accent, improper pronuncuations do not bother me.

However, there is no excuse for improper word usage.

Such as:

'exetera' when you mean 'et cetera'
'youse' (plural) when you mean 'you'

Or incorrect grammar, in an attempt to appear sophisticated, such as, for example:

"My Dad bought gifts for my wife and !". Why not say: "My Dad bought gifts for I and my wife!" Because it would sound just as stupid.

More to come. Stay tuned.