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Okay, following yesterday’s meme, here’s the video of me saying the words, followed by the answer key. Now, because I already knew the answers (PH tested me on these when we were geeking out over the weekend), I cheat a little bit and discuss the correct pronunciations in the video. So if you haven’t done it yet, be warned!

Answer key.

Click the links to go to Dictionary.com and hear the pronunciation, as well as to see notes on it. I put my screw-ups in red for you to admire!

  1. Correct: arK-tic, Ant-arK-tica. Incorrect: aRtic, AntaRtica.
  2. Correct: Mauve should rhyme with cove, FO-lee-age. Mispronunciation: mawv, FOIL-age.
  3. Correct: eLEC-toral, CAND-idate. Incorrect:elecTORal/electorial, CANNidate.
  4. Correct:  diF-theria. Incorrect:diPtheria
  5. Correct:  eSSpecially, eSSpresso. Incorrect: eXspecially, eXpresso.
  6. Correct:  Film, Feb-Ru-ary. Incorrect: fil-im, febYuary (becoming accepted).
  7. Correct:  LibRary, lie-able. Incorrect: libArry, libel.
  8. Correct:  moot should rhyme with hoot and toot. Incorrect: moot rhyming with mute and cute.
  9. Correct:  Off-en, MIS-chiv-ous, just like “mischief” with an ous at the end. Incorrect: off-ten (becoming accepted),Mis-CHEE-VEE-ous.
  10. Correct:  probaBly, pRe-scription. Incorrect: Prolly, pEr-scription
  11. Correct:  Real-tor, REL-e-vant. Incorrect: Ree-la-tor, REV-e-lant
  12. Correct:  RES-pit. Incorrect: res-PITE.
  13. Correct:  UT-most, vol-UP-tuous. Incorrect: UP-most, vol-UMP-tuous.
  14. Correct:  Suppose-edly, ZO-ology. Incorrect: Suppose-ably, ZOO-ology.
  15. Correct:  mEEm, pro-NUN-ci-ation. Incorrect: Mee-mee/may-may, pro-NOUN-ci-ation.

The original link is here.

It’s worth reading because there are some fun misunderstandings of common phrases, too. I couldn’t do that in a written meme, however, because writing it gives it away!

Many of the words this guy lists tend to be regional variations on pronouncing/slurring vowels, especially schwas (how’s that for a word that starts with four consonants?!). This is where Perfect Husband and I tended to differ. While he says things like “mannaise” and “fed-ral”, I say may-on-naise and fed-er-al, because I was raised to do so. Ditto with pronouncing “wh” words differently from “w” words, particularly words like “whet” or “which” that have a different meaning if pronounced “wet” or “witch”.

I tried to avoid many words like that, because I don’t think that’s mispronunciation so much as accent or quick speech.You’ll notice I didn’t pick on whether you said “clothes” or “close” in number 3. Bonus points if you actually pronounce the TH, though, especially if you’re a fast talker.

Also, I out-and-out disagree with some of his claims. He mentions “Tijuana” as a commonly mispronounced word, along with “forte” but Dictionary.com would disagree with him, and if we can’t trust Dictionary.com, who can we turn to in times of trial such as this?? I think that saying people mispronounce “Tijuana” is like complaining that we mispronounce “Paris”: even if it’s not how the French say it, it’s the English word for that city, you know? Besides, “Tijuana” is a slurring of Tia Juana (Aunt Jane) to begin with, even in Spanish.

Some of these “mispronunciations” are becoming accepted (as noted) but are still under debate, so I let them in – let the debate rage! Sadly, my mispronunciations are not under debate.

So… how did you guys do? Someone join me in educated embarrassment, and encourage your own readers to join you in shame as well! If there are lots of us, we could form a group of people who fight for the right to pronounce it res-pite!

And I thought I was good with words…