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13 Basic Words You're Probably Pronouncing Wrong

(Seventeen.com)

  • SHERBET

How you pronounce it: Shur-bert

How it's really pronounced: Shur-bit

The proof: The spelling. Not sure where the nonexistent "R" we all add to the end of this word came from. If you need more proof, though, here it is pronounced by an all-knowing dictionary voice...

  • Et Cetera

How you pronounce it: Ex-set-er-a

How it's really pronounced: Et-set-er-a

The proof: There's no explanation for why people, far and wide, pronounce this word "exetera," so we're just going to let the all-knowing dictionary voice explain this one.

  • KILOMETER

How you pronounce it: Kill-om-it-er

How it's really pronounced: Kill-o-meet-er

The proof: Well, a kilometer is 1,000 meters. Since we can all agree that meter is pronounced "meet-er," that should be proof enough we've been pronouncing this word all kinds of wrong for a long time. But here's the dictionary confirmation just in case you aren't quite convinced

  • Forte

How you pronounce it: For-tay

How it's really pronounced: Fort

The proof: So, you've been pronouncing this word wrong, wrong, wrong your entire life, and it was probs in your quest to sound smart, too (since who really says forte in normal conversations?). Or is that just us? Anyway, this word is really one syllable and is pronounced like the french word it originates from: fort. So, let's just say I'm a great writer, but pronunciation definitely isn't my for-tay.

  • February

How you pronounce it: Feb-u-air-ey

How it's really pronounced: Feb-ru-air-ey

The proof: This one is painful to come to terms with since everyone assumes the "R" is silent (since that's literally how EVERYONE pronounces it). But the "R" is NOT silent! You're supposed to pronounce the "R"! But it's important to note that most dictionaries list multiple pronunciations for the word since the silent "R" pronunciation has been so widely accepted, while other dictionaries (like the Collins dictionary) stand by the pronounced "R". We're not even going to touch Wednesday!

  • PRESCRIPTION

How you pronounce it: Per-scrip-shun

How it's really pronounced: Pri-scrip-shun

The proof: The "R" comes BEFORE the "E", not the other way around, but the letters still seem to get switched up when the word goes from our brains to our mouths

  • MISCHIEVOUS

How you pronounce it: mis-chee-vee-us

How it's really pronounced: mis-che-vus

The proof: It's in the spelling. If you've been pronouncing this one right, good on you, but there are a ton of people who, for some reason, have been adding an extra "eee" for reasons completely unknown.

  • Comfortable

How you pronounce it: Cumf-ter-bull

How it's really pronounced: Come-fer-ta-bull

The proof: Don't think this one needs proof. We all know better... we just can't bring ourselves to pronounce this one right.

  • CrĂȘpe

How you pronounce it: Crape

How it's really pronounced: Crep

The proof: If you're in the U.S., the pronunciation of those yummy, thin pancakes that go ridiculously well with strawberries, bananas, and Nutella (never forget the Nutella!) that's widely used and accepted is "crape." But if you want to respect the crĂȘpe's French origins, the pronunciation is actually "crep."

  • Wikipedia

How you pronounce it: Wick-i-pee-dee-a

How it's really pronounced: Wee-key-pee-dee-a

The proof: Howard G. Cunningham launched the first Wiki in 1995 and based its name "WikiWikiWeb" on the Wiki Wiki bus (which translates to a "very quick bus") he'd ridden during his stay in Hawaii. And in Hawaii, the vowel "I" is pronounced "ee." Hence, Wikipedia is actually pronounced wee-key-pedia. It's just we've been pronouncing it wrong for so long, Mr. Cunningham has stopped correcting people

  • Nokia

How you pronounce it: No-key-a

How it's really pronounced: Knock-ya

The proof: You've been pronouncing this iconic, brick cell phone brand name wrong your entire life. Without a doubt. And this tweet by Nokia themselves proves it!

  • GIF

How you pronounce it: gif

How it's really pronounced: jif

The proof: This is likely the pronunciation debate that will go on for the rest of time. Is it GIF with a hard "G", like gift, or GIF with a soft "G", like giraffe. Well, in 2013, the inventor of the GIF won a lifetime achievement Webby award, and he shut down the pronunciation debate in just five words.

Link: http://www.seventeen.com/life/a31117/words-everyone-mispronounces/


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