How many words do you mispronounce or misuse? You might think the answer is zero. Because people will rarely call you on it. It wouldn’t be polite.
But as a person who specializes in communicating, I will.
There are a handful of words in the English language that are continually mispronounced. And while it may seem like a minor thing, it discredits everything about you and your message.
Here are a few to watch out for.
Supposedly. This is a word. Supposebly is not. Try looking it up. You won’t find it in any dictionary. So don’t say it.
Irregardless. This is also a word. But it really shouldn’t be used. Ever. Just think about it. You don’t need the “ir.” Do everyone a favor and strike your character count by two.
Expresso. This is not correct. Sound it out. Ess-press-o. Bingo. Instant credibility.
What words do you commonly hear mispronounced? And what does it make you think about the person saying it? Creating the right perception with your target audience is critical to any successful communication effort. Let’s work together to make sure that perception is a positive one.
~ Emily
Labels: communications, pronunciation, writing
How do you hear “etc.” pronounced? More often than not, I hear it pronounced “ek-set-er-ah,” which is incorrect. Latin nonwithstanding, the spelling of the word should give away the correct pronunciation–et cetera.
“Often” - the T is silent (should sound like “off-fen”). My mother (who is a speech pathologist) hammered that into me at a young age, and it irritates the crap out of me when people mispronounce it.
orientated is commonly used instead of oriented.
orientate is to align oneself with true north.
I’ve never heard it used correctly.
Whenever a “Yogism” is used unintentionally. For example, “It’s like Déjà vu all over again” is redundant, but I see it used all the time — especially by athletes.
The phrase “a whole nother”. Kills me every time. “Irregardless” is by far the worst though. Great post.