Mispronounced words that drive you mad

[puds11]

Just overheard someone ordering an ‘expresso’

What mispronounced words drive you mad?

@MattBerrysHair - harsh, I know, but I have really strong feelings about this . Almost everyone here says pap-REEK-a and looks if I inadvertently pronounce paprika correctly. I've tried saying pap-REEK-a, but just can't. It's so, so wrong....

'I'm doing good' when they mean well.

Nothing wrong with Haitch. It's the correct pronunciation in Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, very broadly, Catholics say Haitch (Irish) and Protestants say Aitch (British). Asking someone to spell a word with the letter H in it is like asking where they went to school - a way of identifying what part of the community they come from.

And so, judging people for using either (correct, valid) pronunciation is viewed as a pretty bigoted thing to do.

Some posters on this thread would do well to realise there isn't one single correct version of the English language, and consider being a bit more open minded.

So, do you say "forrid" or "for-hed" ?

Oh, people who say 'forrid' also say 'rhum' for room and something like 'gahn' for gone.

Pronouncing Holborn in London as Hollborn. It's more like Hoe-burn. But I wouldn't expect non-locals to know that.

I so agree about 'doing good'. 'Oh, you're a missionary? Or do you work for a charity?'

Ex husband used to say
Gesture as 'Guest ure'
Chasm as 'Chas em'
Niche as 'Nitch'
Should of as opposed to should have
I seen
I done
It was took or it was tooken

He was a moron.

Some posters on this thread would do well to realise there isn't one single correct version of the English language, and consider being a bit more open minded.

Exactly!!

I grew up in S London, where inoculations through a needle were “jabs”. Now, in S Yorks, my children talk about “jags”. Whether this change is due to time or space I don’t know, bur it’s a good example of how colloquial language is not static.

Using the word itch where the intended meaning is scratch.

Didn'nt instead of didn't.

@OrinocoGlow I’m terrible at place names

Hospickle or Bockle arghh!

So, do you say "forrid" or "for-hed" ?

Fod

Ah @BIWI still agreeing after all these years!

Porsche. Listen to the late James Hunt or Murray Walker. Please!

I had an A-level history teacher who would describe Henry VI's behaviour as licentitious instead of licentious. I found it v awkward!

Also could/should/would OF rather than HAVE.

iklboodolphrednosedreindeer Fod ??

Reserv-wire Dogs

The Bregzit thing is massively annoying - once someone has pointed it out to you, you then hear it everywhere!

Asterix.

Prostrate instead of prostate.
Westminister instead of Westminster.
Should/would/could of instead of have.

"I grew up in S London, where inoculations through a needle were “jabs”. Now, in S Yorks, my children talk about “jags”. Whether this change is due to time or space I don’t know, bur it’s a good example of how colloquial language is not static"

It's been jags in my part of Scotland since forever. Which makes more sense because needles are... well, jaggy.

Also nice to see the usual MN accent snobbery alive and well in this thread 👍

Empathetic instead of empathic. I always see the 'pathetic' part of the word and it drives me nuts. I know it's become an accepted variance but I'll always see it as wrong.

" 'bockle' instead of bottle, 'lickle' not little"

t + l is a hard combination though. In other areas, they'd have a glottal stop instead of the t before l.

My father always said "I espose" instead of "I suppose". English wasn't his first language and nobody ever commented but I've heard it more recently too.