Kevin's Watch

People who have a go at the pronunciation of others but say "pronounciation"

I had the pleasure of listening to some songstress being interviewed on NZ radio who did just this - wombat !!

MsMary wrote:What about "ekcetera"? That's another one that drives me crazy. As well as "nucular" for "nuclear."

As someone who used to speak Latin, I cringe whenever I hear people use Latin in English, as they get it wrong so often.

English speakers get the pronunciations of many non-English words wrong. It makes me cringe, also.

MsMary wrote:English speakers get the pronunciations of many non-English words wrong. It makes me cringe, also.

Yes, but when it's a language that YOU slaved to learn, it's more offensive.

I know several of the languages I've heard pronounced incorrectly.

MsMary...just a quick warning...
Beware the mesmer...

My dad used to pronounce nuclear "nucular", and chimney "chimley". And for awhile, he would call Tucson "Tulsa", just to get a rise out of me. Worked every time, too, dammit.

"Warsh" for "wash" is especially annoying when you live in Washington. Fingernails-on-the-blackboard time....

My favorite mispronunciation story: When I lived in WV, I overheard several beehive-hairdoed women discussing words that are spelled differently than they sound. One woman said, "It's like the word Babtist -- you wouldn't think it was spelled with a 'p'!" It took all my self-control to not barge in and say, "It would if you SAID it right!"

So MM, I'm curious: When you talk about people who pronounce "route" like "about", do you mean the American pronunciation of "about", or the weird Canadian way (closer to "aboot")? (Just kidding, of course. )

Oh, and Syl, I never knew for sure how to pronounce Teva, so I usually hedge my bets and waffle my way through it ("Teh-va? Tay-va? However you say it...").

I guess my speaking pet peeve lately is how much people run sentences together in one or two words. I work on a help desk for a bunch of stores, and everyone who answers the phones at the stores goes through a long routine and then then says, "malp you" (instead of "may I help you.") Last night while being seated at a restaurant, there was a serious run together of some statement like "enjoy your meal" or something like that. I can't remember how it came out now.

It can be kind of amusing at times.

MsMary wrote:What about "ekcetera"? That's another one that drives me crazy. As well as "nucular" for "nuclear."

I my God I watched a documentary about Operation Able Archer the other week and it was really good, but the narrator drove me mad by pronouncing it 'nucular' every single time. And it came up a whole lot!

Menolly wrote:MsMary...just a quick warning...
Beware the mesmer...

Nav wrote:

MsMary wrote:What about "ekcetera"? That's another one that drives me crazy. As well as "nucular" for "nuclear."

I my God I watched a documentary about Operation Able Archer the other week and it was really good, but the narrator drove me mad by pronouncing it 'nucular' every single time. And it came up a whole lot!

I had a college physics instructor who said "nucular."

Hey, I just thought of a phrase:

Don't say nucular, or Lucimay will go for your jugular!

Thank you.

around here the store is pronounced Wal-Mark.

All this "nuclear" talk brings to mind that scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home where Chekov is asking the SF cop where to find the "nu..cleee..er wessels.."

the word tragedy. a tragedy is just that. we diminish the word by using it for manners of stupid death.

Furls Fire wrote:All this "nuclear" talk brings to mind that scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home where Chekov is asking the SF cop where to find the "nu..cleee..er wessels.."

Seriously. If the rusky can pronounce it (THE RETARDED RUSKY, as the naval officer would shout,) then why can't the PRESIDENT?

Shield is not spelled sheild.

And is there such a word as "suposably"?

people you work with who want to drag you into there frickin' dramas. not understanding it is just a job and not you life.

Amen to that.