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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what words you can’t say?

380 replies

ohheyfreakingout · 01/02/2019 15:52

... even when they’re written in front of you

I can never seem to say anaesthetise.

My friend can’t say kettle properly and my brother has trouble with vinegar!

OP posts:
FlumpyMummy · 02/02/2019 01:19

Walnut

SleightOfMind · 02/02/2019 01:21

I got in an N/L muddle with colony earlier Blush

Really annoying as I was trying to make an important point.

Anyway, mauving on...

VWpurse · 02/02/2019 01:24

FlumpyMummy

Are you from Essex?

chilledteacher · 02/02/2019 01:25

Squirrel and railway

Kismetjayn · 02/02/2019 01:26

Exclamation.
Always comes out Etslamation.
Use it more often than you'd think, referring to punctuation.

julensaor · 02/02/2019 01:40

I said phenonomen earlier and knew there was one other bastard word, it came to mind - Negligeable - what an ugly horrible word.

alltoomuchrightnow · 02/02/2019 01:41

Phenomenon and apocalypse

alltoomuchrightnow · 02/02/2019 01:41

Courtesy

ArmyScreamer · 02/02/2019 01:58

Innovative - it just comes out as a big mumbling mess, and I have to say it a lot, you'd be surprised how many alternatives there are

TheHallouminati · 02/02/2019 02:29

I have trouble with Canada. It always comes out as Canadia.

I work in a pharmacy. So many people get tongue tied when asking for their meds, especially when they try to use the phrase, "pick up a prescription." Makes me smile as I can't say it either.

Drug names are a nightmare and I'm pretty sure chemists like to give them difficult names for fun. Even though I might see the names written down on the packaging many times per day I will often discover I've been pronouncing it wrong in my head when someone else says the name out loud!

stripycreature · 02/02/2019 04:03

Colposcopy.

JasperKarat · 02/02/2019 04:09

Strategy, I can if I am deliberate about it but in the flow of usual conversation I always stumble on it

ADarkandStormyKnight · 02/02/2019 04:16

Exhibition / expedition. I can say them perfectly well and have no problem in writing but always have to think about the middle consonants when I’m saying it. No idea why!

MissLanesAmericanCousin · 02/02/2019 04:58

February. I put the "R" in it, so it comes out FebRooaree. My mother has a Spanish accent, so I know this is where I got it from, however, the rest of my words are said with an American accent. Also, advertisement! I say it the way the British say it because of Mary Poppins! Grin

Just thought of another one! Progress-pronounced phonetically. Because of the way Dorothy says it on Golden Girls. Smile

PatricksRum · 02/02/2019 05:02

Soldier
Scissors

FlumpyMummy · 02/02/2019 05:40

VWpurse

No I am not

Wallywobbles · 02/02/2019 05:43

After half a lifetime in France the pn combo at the beginning of words still defeats me. So pneu (tyre) and pneumonie (pneumonia) are still an issue. Fortunately not everyday words.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 02/02/2019 05:44

I can't say binoculars. Fortunately I don't really have cause to.

Thishatisnotmine · 02/02/2019 05:49

Enamel. Feminine. World. Child (always comes out chi-uld thanks to my brummy upbringing).
Reading books to the dc has shown me that I say 'chicking' instead of chicken! I had no idea I was doing this!

IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 02/02/2019 09:15

I always get lather and lava mixed up.

TrackerBar · 02/02/2019 09:28

MadisonAvenue

I thought it was just me! I can say it fine at any other time, it's weird!

Smallhorse · 02/02/2019 09:59

Altringcham

TillyMint81 · 02/02/2019 10:08

Statistician

Metalhead · 02/02/2019 10:20

Rural.

Limensoda · 02/02/2019 10:25

Falafel.
I can say it but can never remember how to say it until someone corrects me when I say fafafel