To not realise I was saying this wrong...

[HelloBunny]

Stopped on the street today by a lady looking for a shop. She asked for the nearest “Shrov-Ski”.
Explained further that it’s a jewellery shop. I eventually cottoned on that she meant “Swaa-Rov-Ski”
Bit like “hyper-bole” with me as well... (until I heard it said on the News!) And the name “Beat-Rice”.

I used to think it was chip-ottle 🙄

I once read a very funny book by Willie Rushton featuring twins Castor and Pollux Vilebastard ( pronounced “Vilibart” as they kept insisting).

@CaptainMyCaptain very nice bags

So many pitfalls with English and its adoption of other languages.

A colleague started signing off their emails with "chow" ...once we realised they were not just hungry or dog-obssessed, someone volunteered to have a gentle word.

Used to think Portakabin was pronounced por-taka-bin

This is the most fascinating thing on this thread. I had no idea the two brands were connected in anyway at all!

I’ve just looked this up. Everyone is correct . www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/la-liaison. This states the liaison with etre and avoir is more formal. I used to go into Paris regularly. I cannot remember how the Parisians in general pronounced the liaison. Two lecturers there definitely did.

@RoachPussy so true! it just bugs my tits when posters go "oh I have a degree blah blah so I'm right" without ever considering they might not be the only person on the thread with specialist knowledge, but not all of us are poncey enough to announce it - until I was provoked that is!

What about the shoe shop "Schuh"?

My youngest pronounces it "scer-huh" and is adamant they are correct!

My friend's grown son always pronounces the group ABBA as separate letters ie "A, B, B, A". He sounds ridiculous but won't change his pronunciation, because everything else gets said like that, ie "B, M, W".

This reminds me of something I read ages ago about German Mr Fuchs being invited to give a talk - gardening? - to a Northern WI. So, er, sir, how do you pronounce your surname? "My name is Fooks". Right. I can't stand up and announce you as Mr Fooks, it's impossible. I will have to call you Mr Fucks. "But, er, I am told that's an insult to many?" Not up here it's not.

I also didn’t know this. But that would explain why it was adiidas when I was younger rather than the current spelling.

Nestlé (roughly pronounced Neslay) was always referred to as Nestle’s in the 1970’s and 80’s. The milky bar kid and Nestle’s milky bar song.

@Mummyoflittledragon , Oui?

I’m 51 and have only ever known Adidas to be spelt with one i. The boys at school thought it hilarious to say it stood for -all day I dream about sex.

@makenomistake , Shoe. It's the German word for shoe

No it's not. you can click here and listen. Dilettantay.

www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dilettante

I couldn’t bring myself to correct a young Aussie couple staying with us, who’d spent the day in central London and told me they’d had lunch at Pret A Manger (pronounced as in Away In A Manger).

Still occasionally wonder whether I should have…

I say it like you said it too

When I was very young (under 7 I think) I was left to read a story to the rest of the class when the teacher popped out. The story was about a princess of Egypt. I had never seen the word Egypt before but was prepared to give it a go. In my family we still call the land of the pyramids Eggyput.

@makenomistake Schuh is pronounced shoe. German for shoe.

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER Pret A Manger means ready to eat and a manger is an animal trough from which to eat so technically they’re not wrong.

I’m sure you knew that.

I thought 'Lizz Truss' was pronounced as it is spelt, but was told today that it's actually pronounced as 'Wotta-Twat'

BIzarrely I thought that was how 'Boris Johnson' was pronounced! It's all a bit of a puzzle really. 🤔

Dour : I always thought it was pronounced "dower" but it's more like "dooer"

Yes @faw2009 I’ve heard it said both ways.

My friend thought it was pret manager so that’s what we call it now.