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Original poster

What one word do you find almost impossible to pronounce/say?

218 replies

Atticustheaardvark · 30/09/2023 00:01

Mine's narcissistic. I pride myself on being reasonably eloquent, but that word has me beat.

Thankfully not a word I find myself needing to utter very often. Just as well, as it takes me about 32 attempts before I stop sounding like Arkwright in Open All Hours.

OP posts:
JanefromLondon1 · 30/09/2023 10:50

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns.

Marsyas · 30/09/2023 11:11

Oligarch
Archipelago
When reading The Wizard of Earthsea to DC, I had to stop at every “archipelago” and point to DS who would say it for me.

HashtagShitShop · 30/09/2023 11:12

Decisions.

Or deh sish hunz

highlandcoos · 30/09/2023 11:40

Segue. From the Spanish verb seguir, meaning "to follow", hence the segway pronunciation in English.

Tessisme · 30/09/2023 11:40

ShowOfHands · 30/09/2023 09:38

Butcher.

Come from Derbyshire and my Dad drilled it into me when we moved that I needed to sort out my flat vowels to stop people bullying me (struggling to settle in). I have a neutral accent I've been using for the best part of 40 years but can't manage "butcher" at all. I simply can't work out how to say the u.

That's interesting. I'm from NI and my mum always said boot-cher. I copied her of course. Not that I needed to say it very often! But when I got a bit older, people found it funny and told me I should say butt-cher. People do say it both ways here though. DP thinks that people who say boot-cher sound like Hyacinth Bucket😆

Original poster
Atticustheaardvark · 30/09/2023 12:29

AutumnCrow · 30/09/2023 00:12

I had a fight with auto-correct. Didn't know what was going on, was just thinking, 'can't say it, can't even spell it' Grin

Show quote history

That was me too with narcisssiisstiicc, I've given in now and just type a few random i's s's and c's!

OP posts:
Original poster
Atticustheaardvark · 30/09/2023 12:30

Marsyas · 30/09/2023 11:11

Oligarch
Archipelago
When reading The Wizard of Earthsea to DC, I had to stop at every “archipelago” and point to DS who would say it for me.

😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Atticustheaardvark · 30/09/2023 12:33

I've loved reading all your answers and very pleased that I'm not the only one!

It was only in my 40's that someone pointed out to me I'd obviously been saying the word 'banal' wrong my entire life. I honestly didn't know it was ba-naaaal and not like 'anal' with a b in front of it. That was an embarrassing revelation!

OP posts:
LadyEloise1 · 30/09/2023 12:37

neilyoungismyhero · 30/09/2023 00:12

Prednisolone

I had never heard of this word before so just googled - got as far as typing in pred and and the full immediately word popped up.
Extraordinary- there must be quite a few of us googling it.

Original poster
Atticustheaardvark · 30/09/2023 12:39

Berlinlover · 30/09/2023 00:28

Film (I’m Irish)

there's nothing wrong with a good fillum!

OP posts:
Original poster
Atticustheaardvark · 30/09/2023 12:43

Georgyporky · 30/09/2023 01:42

DH can't pronounce"sorry". It comes out as "all right".

This one wins!

OP posts:
Original poster
Atticustheaardvark · 30/09/2023 12:45

ScottBakula · 30/09/2023 02:51

Is anyone else googling what half of them words mean ? 🤔

Yes! 😅

OP posts:
Cattenberg · 30/09/2023 12:58

Oh dear, I’ve spent my life saying “anenome” and “anthromorphosise”.

I can’t say Thierry, and I never know if the C in hydrocephalus is pronounced like a K or an S.

MaidOfSteel · 30/09/2023 12:58

Goreg · 30/09/2023 02:54

João

I can pronounce this! But finding a way to write how it's pronounced is much harder!

Jus (as in culinary pronunciation) - ow (as in now).

Joolsin · 30/09/2023 13:12

As a child, I said Hyathints and Nathariss instead of Hyacinth and Nazareth. Still have to slow down and say them carefully to get them right.

Toomiddleclassforwords · 30/09/2023 13:14

Anemone
specific

Gormless · 30/09/2023 13:15

The name ‘Nancy’. It comes out as ‘Nazi’, which is far from ideal…

sipsqueak · 30/09/2023 18:12

Championing

February (assuming the first "r" is meant to be pronounced?)

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