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”.

Although, from looking online, the developers wanted it to be with the soft g. I don't think it makes as much sense though.

Hey, I used to think the I Ching was pronounced the way it appears in English, until I heard someone else speak the word's proper pronunciation out loud. (It's ee-shing)

It’s not just words in languages other than English though. I studied medieval history and we all got caught out at some point for Beauchamp (Bee-chum), Bourchier (Bow-cher), Belvoir (Beever), Cholmondeley (Chum-lee) and my personal favourite, Featherstonehaugh (Fan-shaw).

Archipelago as mentioned in Ship of Adventure by Enid Blyton.....for years I pronounced it Arr chip Aiy largo

Heard woman's name Ianthe pronounced as Eye-anth, not Yanthey at a lecture, but kept quiet...

I was an adult when I found out that Hermione wasn't pronounced Hermy-on. I'd read it in a book (pre-Harry Potter) but had never actually heard it

You're right with your pronunciation of Swarovski @HelloBunny - it's Swor-off-ski.

And to prove it here's Karlie Klass when she was The Face of Swarovski five or six years ago practicing it - I doubt Swarovski would have commissioned an ad pronouncing their own name incorrectly.

When I first read the book years ago I said Her-Moyne because I couldn’t work out how it was pronounced. I’ve never met anyone in real life with that name.

I think you mean Acronyms are said as words.

Apologies, I see someone has already pointed it out.

Until I read your post I could have sworn it was pronounced Schwar-off-ski💁🏻‍♀️

@BellePeppa , yes, me (and others)

You are not being unreasonable. I would say it is pronounced Shwar-ov-ski or Shwar-off-ski but, if you have only ever seen something written down, how would you be expected to know that?

It's Italian not French

Me neither.

Persephone I have never ever heard that name

How is it said?

Per sef oh knee

I hate trying to write phonetically!

My daughter when she was small called it sweepies 🤣🤣

I'd assume it was Eye Anthey because that is the way the only Ianthe I know pronounces it. She's in her 60s, so it's not a modern variant.

There's a Belvoir forest, Belvoir estate etc. in Belfast, always pronounced Beever. I never understood why. I thought it was a Belfast thing.

I'm old enough to remember an actress called hermione gingold but I know a lot of younger people had trouble with the pronouncitation when Harry Pooter books came out

Also Worcestershire. Dunno if it's medieval but I never understood how you get 'wuster' from it. Not quite on the same level as Featherstonehaugh (Fan-shaw) though!

I have a friend who calls it Swar-kov-ski drives me nuts, she also calls Pinterest, Pin-interest gahhhh!!

But yes I have also heard stupid people call is shrov-ski - I call it Swar-ov-ski

Maybe that's why I never had any trouble with that name. I remember her too.

I used to pronounce Imogen with a hard G. I'd only seen it written down.