If I hear the word mischeeveeus one more time I will scream! Well, I probably already have screamed.What’s next? Both children and adults pronounce this word incorrectly. Do you see a ‘vious at the end of the word mischievous (correctly spelled)? No, I don’t either. That means it isn’t pronounced ‘vee-us. The last syllable is pronounced ‘vus. The entire word has three syllables, not four. And the accent is not on the second syllable; it is on the first. There is no long ‘ee sound in the word at all. MIS-chiv-us. That is how it is pronounced!
Here are 10 of the most commonly used and mispronounced words in the English language:
1. Mischeeveeus. See above!
2. Undoubtably. No such word. The ending is wrong. The word is undoubtedly.
3. Supposably. No such word. The ending is wrong. The word is supposedly.
4. Heighth. Since when is there an h at the end of this word? It ends in a T sound.
5. Often. The T is silent in this one.
6. Pronounciation. Pronounce is a word, but when you make this verb into a noun, the noun becomes a nun! Pronunciation is correct.
7. Jew-lery. Nope. It is pronounced exactly the way it is spelled: jewel-ry.
8. Real-a-tour. Nope. Once again, it is pronounced just the way it is spelled: real-tor.
9. Probly. I know you know how to way this one. Give it that missing syllable that has really been there all along: pro-bab-ly.
10. Reoccur. No O at all. Just recur. Two syllables.
No, I didn’t forget Feb-u-ary and liberry, but I think we all know those by now!
More helpful information in my books, available on Amazon and all other online retailers — and as e-books.
I didn’t realize pronunciation would get so many comments!
Great list. Wishing number three could be placed on billboards near well-traveled highways.
Yes, I know some education professionals who use that one!
Arlene,
In the past, I had been so bad about “Realtor”. I always said real-a-tour…then I married one, so learned to pronounce it correctly 😉 I had to or be shot!
Great Blog! Go Lady, go!
Thanks Sondra!!
Loved this! Your posting of the “Ten Most Mispronounced Words” nudged me to correct my pronunciation in a couple of cases and allowed me to fee superior in others. Thank you. Now you can address morphing the pronunciation of the letter “e” as in “yes” or “fresh.” The short “e” sound (as in Edward) is mixing the sounds of a and e, as in “yas” or “frash.” Hate that.
Yas! I agree. How about “melk,”, which is morphing the i into an e!
Glad you didn’t hear me mispronounce mischievous. Very helpful information. Thanks, Arlene.
Glad you liked it!
FYI
Wonderful! And what about nuk-u-lur instead of nuclear? Even our president of the time, Mr. Bush, mispronounced it.
–Skye
That one is in my book, but I figured most of us had learned it from all the flack Mr. Bush got!
I wonder how you, Arlene, would rate my British pronunciation. I pronounce apricot the way the British would and the same applies to tomato.
In Europe, a good pronunciation and diction are markers of social stratum and education.
They are in America too, but I think our social strata, from our pronunciation, start below where yours end!
#9 – I know you know how to WAY this one? Am I mistaken, or should that be SAY this one?
Have a great day!
“Lingerie” is my personal bugbear. Pronounced (approximately) lan-zher-ee. How on earth can you look at the word – even without much knowledge of French pronunciation – and get “lon-zher-ay” out of it?
Oops! Have I been getting that one wrong???