Words you probably pronounce incorrectly
Here are some words you probably pronounce incorrectly.
Beijing
You probably say: “bay-ZHING”
You should be saying: “bay-JING”
Seriously… it’s just “jing” like in “Jingle Bells.” To be completely correct, raise the pitch of your voice one octave for the “jing.”
Gyros (sometimes spelled “Gyro”)
You probably say: “GUY-roh” “HEE-roh” “GEE-roh” “ZHEE-roh” or any number of variations
You should be saying “YEE-roh”
This one varies so much that even people who sell them won’t recognize the correct pronunciation. “Gyros” is the correct word. The “S” is silent, and does not designate a plural.
Bruschetta
You probably say: “Bru-SHEH-ta”
You should be saying: “Bru-SKEY-ta”
Americanized Italian restaurant chains will argue against this until your food gets cold. They’re wrong.
Niche
You probably say: “Nitch”
You should be saying: “Neesh”
Do you say “Kitch” for “Quiche” ? Then you shouldn’t say “Nitch” for “Niche.” I expect to receive much protestation against this one.
Espresso
You probably say: “ex-PRESS-o”
You should be saying: “es-PRESS-o”
Especially
You probably say: “ex-PESH-uh-lee”
You should be saying: “es-PESH-uh-lee”
“Especially” is a cousin of “espresso” in that they are both similarly mispronounced.
Et Cetera/Etc
You probably say: “eck-SET-era”
You should be saying: “et-SET-era”
February
You probably say: “FEB-yoo-ary”
You should be saying: “FEB-roo-ary”
Like “Et Cetera” above, this is a pandemic of selective dyslexia.
Tract
You probably say: “track”
You should be saying: “tract”
Digestive tract. A tract of land. A track runner. Track a fugitive. Different words, but both pronounced exactly as they are spelled.
Zoology
You probably say: “zoo-AH-luh-gee”
You should be saying: “zoh-AH-luh-gee”
Count the Os in the first grouping. It it were pronounced “zoo-AH-luh-gee,” there would be three Os.
Pundit
You probably say: “PUN-dint”
You shoulud be saying: “PUN-dit”
What makes this worse is that it is primarily pundits on television who mispronounce their own occupation!
Your turn!
What are some of your pet peeve mispronunciations? Did any of you make it all the way through the list without finding one word you were mispronouncing?
