Words you'd only read that you mispronounced in a humiliating way

[jpgray]

When I first said "ennui," I said it like it was three letters of the alphabet: "N-U-I." That was pretty funny.

:cry:

[HEyHEY]

1. Happens all the time to me

As you know I work in radio, and fuck man sometimes it just sneaks up on you. The latest one was rudiment. I went "Ru ru ru ru"

[complain jane]

2. Awry.

I said it to my best friend and pronounced it like it looks. She's still laughing and it was four years ago.

Something else too, I forget what, but I said it to the same friend on the phone, she pauses in silence and says "did you just read that word in a book or something?"

[Beware the Beast Man]

3. I was giving a reading in one of my History classes in college,

and I pronounced "viscount" phonetically (rhyming with discount) rather than the proper "VIE-count." That's about it.

[Bok_Tukalo]

4. For the longest time I said "YOUR ANUS" for the 8th planet

<poe>

[Goathead]

5. My good friend used to pronounce the "L" in Salmon.

Used to drive me nuts.:banghead:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. What the hell?

HOW do you pronounce it, "samon?"

[pansypoo53219]

6. not me but my mom

thought hors d' ovres was whores D overs, so now i say that on purpose. and i try to do the same with other similar 'words', like crudites-crud ites. adds a little fun to the fux paws.

[Maddy McCall]

7. I said Genitals instead of Gentiles once in Sunday School.

We were taking turns reading aloud from the bible. My 80-yr-old teacher almost had a stroke.

[barackmyworld]

8. this kid I know said "Pubic" instead of "Punic" wars

in an AUDITORIUM during a costume contest (yes, it was a dorky costume contest during the Latin Olympics. but it was funny)

[jpgray]

11. Pubic Wars would be a cool band name (nt)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. Lots, since 99.9999% of my interactions with others in English are

reading and writing. Live, I sound like a novice consular aide from Uzbekistan.

[yewberry]

30. You should hear my Portugese. Hilarious.

Actually, when I think about it, my written Portugese is even worse.

At least my Brazilian buddies get a good laugh out of it when I write to them.

[bopchick]

12. I didn't know how to pronounce this: £

:shrug:

[jpgray]

13. Pounds sterling? (nt)

[bopchick]

15. well i do now

but i had to read it out loud in 10th grade - i had just moved overseas and was in a british school. it was quite embarrassing, as an american, to show how ignorant i was. :blush:

[jpgray]

17. Yeah I'm not sure what prompted my response

It made no fucking sense. I do hate the shrugging smiley, though. Maybe he made me do it.

:shrug:

[grannylib]

24. Oh, God, I knew that one when I lived in England, but had no idea that

one should say "full stop" when referring to one of these: .
Especially when one is in 3rd form (8th grade.)
Yikes.

[uppityperson]

14. Saguaro is not pronounced cigar-o, g=h

[frogbison]

16. caduceus

[crispini]

18. I do that all time.

Side effect of a lot of reading and liking to use new words. I've gotten used to it now. My friend, humble pie. :P

[Abelman]

19. So embarressing

This one time I was reading out loud in class and my prononciation was way off. The book actually SAID "...glucose combines with sucrose and various glycerides to form conglomerate masses..."

But what I messed up and pronounced it "...fuck you all, go to hell you assholish bastards..."

[bling bling]

20. When I was young my parents used to play

trivial pursuit and I would read the questions to them.

One of the questions went something like, 'This singer used to walk on stage with a chy-hoowa-hoowa under his arm.'

My parents looked at each other for a moment and then busted out laughing and said, you mean "chihuahua."

[aePrime]

21. I had almost the opposite problem

I teach some university classes, and on the first day this semester, I was calling out names. There is a guy in one of my sections named Noel, pronounced like Joel. I KNEW that before I said anything, but I was was reading off of the list, and it came out as "no ell", like Christmas. My mouth was faster than my brain, and I knew I had screwed it up as it was coming out. His friend thought it was the funniest thing in the world. I apologized. He said it happens all the time.

[ContraBass Black]

22. Gyros

[bling bling]

28. I've heard it called "yeeros" and "JIEroes"

I never could figure out how to say that word properly.

[GirlinContempt]

32. If you're greek its yeeros

[grannylib]

23. Impotent and impius always used to confuse me

And I HATE it when people mispronounce "iota"

[u4ic]

25. Massachusetts

[tammywammy]

26. Reading all these makes me paranoid

But I didn't know how to pronounce Gnocchi the first time I ordered it, so I just pointed. But the waitress said it, so I was like cool, that's how you say it. Then I was on a date with a guy that used to wait at an upscale Italian restaurant and he took me there. On the way I said I like Gnocchi the way the girl said it that one time. It was wrong. She was wrong, so I was wrong. And now, I'm not even sure if he was right. I'll continue with the pointing the waiter/waitress.

[AlienGirl]

29. nee-YOKE-ee

(Sort of. The gn makes a ny sort of sound.)

[regnaD kciN]

31. Huh...???

Funny. I had to read the body of your post to figure out what you were trying to say.

Now, how about a serving of gnocci with Worcestershire sauce? Imagine the pronounciation possibilities... :evilgrin:

[pres2032]

27. the Susquehanna River

I used to call it the "Squishy-hanna river" when i was but a wee lad and my parents were brutal to me when i said it like that. :cry: :silly

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

33. None - I am a gifted elocutionist

[yewberry]

34. Holy crap...my last job.

I worked in an "old-world" restaurant named "Zabaglione Ristorante."


Yes, Zabaglione.
(Hint: Szabayon(é) in English pronunciation.)

Every day:
Ring, ring..."Good evening, Zabaglione Ristorante, this is Rachel. Can I help you?"
....
....
"Uh, is this Za-bag-lee-own-ee?"

"Yes, this is Zabaglione."

"Za-bag-lee-own-ee? The restaurant?"

"Yes, this is Zabaglione. Can I help you?"

"Za-bag-lee-own-ee? On Central Street?"


Oh, just endless. And the town had 13,000 people. I think I must've talked to most of them.

I do miss it though.
:patriot:
Miss ya, Ipswich!

[VOX]

35. "Joe's Place" might have been a better choice.

I feel your pain! Dealing with the public can be...interesting. :crazy: