Pronunciations you had wrong!

[WeirdArchitecture]

I am ashamed to admit that I previously struggled with 'froth' and actually pronounced it 'throff' .....there needs to be an eccentricity emoticon, I'm not that daft, I promise!

I also know someone who until her late 40's struggled with 'canopy' and pronounced it 'canape'.

DP was convinced that Moët was 'moway' as opposed to 'mwett/mowet'.

I had also previously pronounced the composer Saint-Saëns as 'san sayens' as opposed to the correct 'sahn sonz'...or something.

Anyone have any amusing ones to share?

Awry - pronounced it 'aw-ree' for years.

@WeatherwaxOn

My late mum could never day 'thief' - always "feeth", and "chimley" (chimney). Dad used to day "sekkiterry" for secretary.

Whilst I know how Magdalen is pronounced (in respect of the college), I don't know why it's pronounced like that.

Years ago someone I worked with said chimbley (I think he was getting a chimney cleaner round) I said something like chimney? You mean chimney?

He says yes chimbley, one hell of a conversation, I still wonder how he found a chimbley cleaner in the yellow pages without having any idea how to spell it.

I struggle with pianist. I say it peeyanis then stop because my hindbrain tells me I've said penis by mistake.

Uninstall

For some reason I said uni-stall. It was one of those words I saw written down a lot when using computers as a child and teenager but never heard people say. If I’d just thought for a moment about what it was actually doing I’d have realised the first prefix is un- not uni-.

[quote Justkeeprollingalong]@Bytrgrewd but Mange Tout isn't MAN- GET-OUT. It's MONJE TOOT[/quote]
Ah I see! More like MAWN-Get-oot with a Scottish accent?

Amethyst - amfermist
Mayor - may or (I'm northern)
Bolognaise - bol og naise
Marbella - mar bell a

DH says beeth instead of beef. No idea why

He also says pacific instead of specific. Had a big conversation with DS about the correct pronunciation of it and he had no clue it was actually aimed at him

I used to pronounce quinoa quin-oa

I’ve just thought of more I’m unsure about - it may be a case of RP/regional.
ScAllops or scOllops?
AquOtic or aquAtic?

In I'm SE London so know that Sydenham is pronounced Sid-num but has some friends up from Portsmouth who pronounced it Syd- en-ham bless them! Sounds better actually!

Also, there's a place near me - Whotham - pronounced rood-um English language is weird!

Li-berry for library
Assembelee for assembly

St Pancreas until I was about 38

Scallops=shellfish
Scollops =battered potato slices from chippy
Aquatic=aqua(water) related
Aquotic= not sure the word exists but I'm sure someone will let me know

@BiscuitLover3678

The US state of Nevada is pronounced Neh-Vah-Dah not Ner-Var-dar

Do people call it ner var dare?

How strange

Pot pourri I pronounced pot (p-ot) purée for years. My working class brain just said it how I thought it should be said.

I know someone who says ADvocado, every time.
She also suspects this is how Ocado got it's name, although I have no idea if this is true.

I won't advocate for her

@Bytrgrewd

You know those peas you get in the pod? Well I’ve been pronouncing the as if they’re French “mange tout” and only just found out it’s “MAN GET OUT”

Really?! I say them ‘monge too’……

@YouWereGr8InLittleMenstruators
Oh no.... I've been making this mistake!! I used to work in HR

I am learning A LOT.
Mo-et ..... wow I did not know this!!

I have a mild speech impediment where I mix my th and f sounds. I can't hear the difference so it's only when I get pulled up on it, I do try and be mindful of tounge placement if I'm concentrating.

Also Hyperbole for ages.

[quote Qwill]@MatildaJayne

“Qwill
‘My MIL says gillet as in fillet for gilet 🤦🏼‍♀️‘

Oh god I do this too! How do you pronounce them then? I say them as jeelay and feelay.
@Qwill, are you American by any chance? Jee lay, with a shj is how I’d pronounce gilet in the French way, but a fillet steak in the UK is pronounced fill it with no French pretentions!”

😂 not as far as I’m aware (I am half French so that’s probably the issue)!! I read it as filet as in filet mignon! I do say fill-et as in to fillet a fish. Think my eyes ignored the double ‘t’![/quote]
Gilet is pronounced zshee-lay (soft g, gee-lay)

Fillet is fill-et

Filet (as in mignonette) is fee-lay

So my MIL pronounces a gilet as a gill(think fish gills) - et

I once heard someone pronounce "chihuahua" as it's spelt (chee-hooah-hooah) and now, whenever I see the word - or the dog - that's how I say it in my head.

Lapels.

Went to London and stayed in Southwark. Pronounced it South walk

@ihatesoaps

Thanks! That’s so helpful! It’s really interesting how people with different accents pronounce words! I’m still learning and I’m in my 30s! Knowing how I have inadvertently mashed up the English language is a constant source of embarrassment to me. Your mum sounds great, and it sounds like she’s giving the French words and pronunciation a pretty good shot!