(no subject)
Beastly Mispronunciations
- Abdomen AB-duh-men. Occasionally, ab-DOH-men.
- Accessory ak-SES-uh-ree. Do not say uh-SES-uh-ree.
- Alumnae uh-LUHM-nee. Do not say uh-LUHM-ny.
- Bacchus BAK-us, not BAHK-us.
- Balsamic bawl-SAM-ik. Don’t say bawl-SAHM-ik.
- Bonaparte BOH-nuh-pahrt, not BAHN-uh-pahrt.
- Buffet (sideboard or self-service meal) buh-FAY, buu-FAY, or boo-FAY.
- Chamois SHAM-ee.'
- Chauvinism SHOH-vi-niz’m (SHOH-like show, rhyming with slow).
- Congratulations kun-GRACH-uh-LAY-shinz, not kun-GRAJ-uh-LAY-shinz.
- Conservatism kun-SUR-vuh-tiz’m. Do not say kun-SUR-vuh-tiv-iz’m.
- Costume Kahs-tyoom (recommended) or Kahs-toom.
- Demeter di-MEE-tur.
- Disastrous di-ZAS-trus.
- Doppelgänger DAHP-ul-GANG-ur (rhymes with topple hanger).
- Error ER-ur or AIR-ur. Do not say AIR.
- Genre ZAHN-ruh, not JAHN-ruh'
- Gymnast JIM-nast, not JIM-nist.'
- Huge HYOOJ. Pronounce the h.
- Interesting IN-tris-ting or IN-tur-uh-sting or IN-tur-ES-ting.
- Iraq i-RAHK or i-RAK; Iraqi i-RAHK-ee or i-RAK-ee
- Jewel(s) JOO-wuul(z). Don’t say JOOL(Z).
- Karaoke: KAR-ee-OH-kee. [*Asian Edit: Kah-ddoe-kae]
- Library LY-brer-ee.'
- Liqueur li-KUR.
- Machination MAK-i-NAY-shin. Do not say MASH-i-NAY-shin.
- Mayonnaise MAY-uh-NAYZ or MAY-uh-NAYZ. Don’t say MAY-nayz.
- Nausea NAW-zee-uh or NAW-shuh; nauseate NAW-zee-AYT; nauseous NAW-shus
- Niche NICH.
- Nuclear N(Y)OO-klee-ur. For Pete’s sake, don’t say NOO-kyuh-lur.
- Often AWF-in or AHF-in. Do not pronounce the t.
- Pathos PAY-thahs (-thahs rhyming with pos in posse) or PAY-thaws (rhymes with play-toss).
- Pecan pi-KAHN (-KAHN rhyming with John) or pi-KAN (-KAN like can)
- Porsche PORSH.
- Realtor REE-ul-tur. Do not say REE-luh-tur.
- Salmon SAM-un.
- Senile SEE-nyl. (like see Nile). Do not say SEN-yl.
- Similar SIM-i-lur.
- Spontaneity SPAHN-tuh-NEE-i-tee, not SPAHN-tuh-NAY-i-tee
- Substantive SUHB-stin-tiv, not suhb-STAN-tiv.
- Taurus TOR-us (TOR- as in torn).
- Tomato tuh-MAY-toh. Regionally (chiefly New England) and in Britain, tuh-MAH-toh. Canadian also tuh-MAT-oh.
- Vaccinate VAK-si-NAYT. Don’t say VAS-i-NAYT.
- Vehement VEE-uh-mint. [ooh, i didn't know this!]
- Visa VEE-zuh, not VEE-suh. The s is properly soft, as in rose
- Wassail WAHS’l (rhymes with fossil and jostle).
- Wintry WIN-tree, not WIN-tur-ee.
- Xenophobia ZEN-uh-FOH-bee-uh, not ZEE-nuh-FOH-bee-uh.
- Yarmulke YAHR-mul-kuh.
- Yolk YOHK (like yoke).
- Zealous ZEL-us. Do not say ZEE-lus.
- Zydeco ZY-duh-KOH (rhymes with try to go).