13 Words Most Americans Mispronounce. How Many Are You Guilty Of?
Have you ever sounded out a word in your head, only to hear it elsewhere and learn it’s pronounced nothing like you thought it was? There are so many words in the English language that linguists disagree on the exact number. On top of that, many words have a counterintuitive pronunciation.
Some of these words are challenging for Americans to pronounce because they have roots in other languages. Others are difficult because there’s an infinite amount of word possibilities.
Mindfully American sifted through the internet to find some of the most common words that English speakers mispronounce. This is just a small sample; you’ve likely heard butchered words that aren’t on this list.
1: What Does the Fox Say?
Some Americans read the French word “faux” as fox. That can lead to confused looks from others if you boast about your “fox” fur boots while eating a vegan meal. Newsflash: The correct way to pronounce faux is along the lines of “foe.”
2: Practice Makes Perfect
Someone who’s a perfectionist would certainly want to feel they’re a pro. Perhaps that’s why some people believe the word is pronounced “profectionist.”
3: Starting Small
Here’s another French word used in English that Americans often get wrong: hors d’oeuvres. While most people are happy to scarf down some appetizers before their meal, they’ll lose credit among their colleagues if they pronounce “hors d’oeuvres” along the lines of “horse doovers.”
4: Living the Suite Life
It’s easy enough to confuse “suite” and “suit” in written English, but it appears that some Americans also mix up the pronunciations. Needless to say, you can expect to get some odd stares if you say you’re staying in a “suit.”
5: Making Revelations
Some people might correctly understand a written and spoken word even though they read and say it differently. “Epitome” is an example of where this could occur, as the “tome” portion throws some people off. If you’re among those that say “uh-PI-tomee” instead of “uh-PIH-tuh-mee,” you’re not alone.
6: Running High
There’s nothing like some “enderfins” after a workout. At least, that’s how some English speakers believe the group of feel-good hormones “endorphin” is pronounced.
7: Saucy Spelling
The “worcestershire” in worcestershire sauce throws many Americans for a loop when speaking it lout oud. People break this word into every syllable combination imaginable, including but not limited to wor-ces-ter-shire, wo-chess-ter-shire, and wer-ches-ter. However, the correct way to pronounce it is “wooster-shire.”
8: No Exaggeration
Hyperbole isn’t the kind of word you want to mispronounce when you’re trying to sound sophisticated. Unfortunately for some English speakers, they utterly mispronounce it. So, the next time you hear your friend say something along the lines of “hyperbowl,” gently correcting them in private might be the kindest thing to do.
9: Let’s Taco ‘Bout It
One of America’s favorite casual Mexican restaurants is also one of the most commonly mispronounced. From “chi-pol-tay” to “chi-potel,” Chipotle’s saving grace is that Americans love the fast chain’s food regardless of how they butcher its name.
10: Out of Shape
Any student who’s taken geometry has heard their teacher say “hexagon,” and they’ve probably uttered the word a time or two themselves. Yet the word “hexagonal,” which means to pertain to a hexagon, throws many English speakers off. Are you in the same boat? If so, try pronouncing “diagonal” before saying “hexagonal.”
11: Get Your Kicks
Adidas is a German company. As such, many Americans unknowingly butcher the famous shoe brand’s name. If you’re among those that call Adidas “a-dee-dass” instead of “addy-das,” consider yourself part of the majority.
12: Good Cooking
Health enthusiasts, you might be messing up the pronunciation of your favorite grain. It’s common for Americans to read quinoa as “ken-o-a.” However, it’s pronounced “keen-wah.” Now you know.
13: Not So All Knowing
Omnipotent isn’t a huge part of mainstream vocabulary, so it’s understandable that some Americans pronounce it poorly. Whereas you may read this word as “om-nee-potent,” the correct pronunciation is “om-nip-uh-tuhnt.”
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