# A Guide to Pronouncing Easy Words for Those Who Can't **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 16, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430 "2004-07-16T15:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/101 "2004-07-21T04:24:21Z")
No, \*\* GYBRFE\*\* it’s a very well known phrase world wide. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say tom-ay-to in Australia, always tom-ah-to. There are very few words we have discrepancies over. Some which come to mind are dance and dahnce, or Newcassle and Newcahsle, pasta and pahsta and the biggie, aich and haich. I’ve never heard anyone butcher words like nuclear, similar, ask, specific, potato, milk, pseudo or many others which were mentioned here. **Colophon** explained Mary, marry, merry perfectly. According to my dictionary these pronunciations are perfectly correct; jewellery, ahmond, ahnt, offen, comfterbul and subsidyary. They may be considered wrong in your part of the world but certainly not here. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/102 "2004-07-21T10:20:54Z")
This afternoon I heard an American say that they flew from Mel-bawn, to Sydney, then to Bris-bain. I was laughing so hard. I always say tom-ay-to… I think. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/103 "2004-07-21T10:35:16Z")
> [@jastu](#): > > I’ve never heard anyone butcher words like nuclear, similar, ask, specific, potato, milk, pseudo or many others which were mentioned here. Hey **Jatsu** maybe I am just thick or deaf but isn’t nuc-u-lar the more common pronunciation here? Everytime I see a rant about how that word “should” be pronounced I find myself saying the word over and over and I am not able to say it any other way. I have found myself on the look out for others saying it too…apparently most kiwis say it “wrong”. Well at least the ones I listen to. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/104 "2004-07-21T10:37:42Z")
> [@Go You Big Red Fire Engine](#): > > This afternoon I heard an American say that they flew from Mel-bawn, to Sydney, then to Bris-bain. I was laughing so hard. > I always say tom-ay-to… I think. 😕 Americans also come to New Zeeeeland when everyone know it is Nu Zillund 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/105 "2004-07-21T10:42:27Z")
> [@dwc1970](#): > > We’ve gotten this far into the thread with nary a mention of the word _tomato_. I say it “tuh-MAY-toe” and I will staunchly defend this pronunciation, which fortunately is the more accepted of the two. In America maybe. Anyone saying “tuh-may-toe” instead of “tuh-mar-toe” over here will be on the receiving of a few funny looks. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/106 "2004-07-21T10:47:09Z")
> [@Legolamb](#): > > In America maybe. Anyone saying “tuh-may-toe” instead of “tuh-mar-toe” over here will be on the receiving of a few funny looks. More then a few. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/107 "2004-07-21T10:47:13Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > Americans also come to New Zeeeeland when everyone know it is Nu Zillund 😃 Then they actually have the audacity to ask for “fish and chips”… everyone knows NZ has “fushinchups”. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/108 "2004-07-21T10:49:30Z")
> [@Go You Big Red Fire Engine](#): > > Then they actually have the audacity to ask for “fish and chips”… everyone knows NZ has “fushinchups”. Well only cause if they ask for feesh and cheeps people will think they talk funny. ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/109 "2004-07-21T18:38:47Z")
How many have bought REE-luh-tee using the services of a REE-luh-tor? And while we’re at it, when the hell did it become o-MAAHJ? I pay AHM-uj to those of you who buy your REEL-tee using the services of a REEL-ter. ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/110 "2004-07-21T18:46:18Z")
’ > [@Rabid Child](#): > > It’s “Mis-ur-eee” not “Mis-ur-uh”. I believe that one is still up for debate, especially within the state of Missouri itself. There have been countless articles in the newspaper about this, and from what I recall they pretty much say that the majority of residents agree with your first pronunciation, but the matter of “correctness” is still undecided. . ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/111 "2004-07-21T18:47:41Z")
> [@jebert](#): > > How many have bought REE-luh-tee using the services of a REE-luh-tor? > And while we’re at it, when the hell did it become o-MAAHJ? > > I pay AHM-uj to those of you who buy your REEL-tee using the services of a REEL-ter. I’m guilty of this too… ---
**Author:** ![Tech\_Sass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Tech\_Sass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tech_Sass)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/112 "2004-07-21T21:12:02Z")
One of my peeves are these TV or radio meteorologists (or maybe just weather-people) who say “Ar-tick” cold front. Come on! In a position like that you are supposed to pronounce certain things correctly, especially if they pertain to your field of study. Put that “c” in it. It’s “Arc-tic”. It’s not that hard to say, and they are paid a lot of money to make an announcement that there’s a 40% chance of rain when it’s clearly raining right now. At least get one thing right. grrrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/113 "2004-07-21T21:16:32Z")
> [@jebert](#): > > And while we’re at it, when the hell did it become o-MAAHJ? I just spent a good minute saying this out loud trying to figure out why on earth anyone would pronounce ‘Omaha’ in such an eccentric fashion. :smack: 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/114 "2004-07-21T23:34:21Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > Hey **Jatsu** maybe I am just thick or deaf but isn’t nuc-u-lar the more common pronunciation here? Everytime I see a rant about how that word “should” be pronounced I find myself saying the word over and over and I am not able to say it any other way. I have found myself on the look out for others saying it too…apparently most kiwis say it “wrong”. Well at least the ones I listen to. No **Calm Kiwi** , I have never heard nuclear mispronounced here or Australia. I hope you aren’t suggesting John Campbell or Carol Hirschfeld say it this way. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Padmaraga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Padmaraga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padmaraga)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/115 "2004-07-21T23:45:21Z")
> [@Tech Sass](#): > > One of my peeves are these TV or radio meteorologists (or maybe just weather-people) who say “Ar-tick” cold front. Come on! In a position like that you are supposed to pronounce certain things correctly, especially if they pertain to your field of study. Put that “c” in it. > > It’s “Arc-tic”. It’s not that hard to say, and they are paid a lot of money to make an announcement that there’s a 40% chance of rain when it’s clearly raining right now. At least get one thing right. grrrrrr. Get yourself a dictionary, dear. Look it up. Here’s what mine says for the pronuncian of arctic: (ärk’tik, är’tik). That means both pronunciations are correct. I will not pronounce the first “c”; it sounds stilted to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercury)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/116 "2004-07-21T23:48:47Z")
Ricotta. Manicotti. Pronounced rick-ot-uh. Mahn-ih-cot-ee. Despite my having taken Italian for three years, a friend of mine from Brooklyn informed me that I was horribly wrong, and it was “rigot” and “manigot.” Seeing as how I didn’t learn Italian from Jimmy the Knife, I stick to the correct pronounciation. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/117 "2004-07-22T00:03:48Z")
One American pronounciation which I love because it sounds so sniggeringly rude to my English ears is Solder, as in the tin/lead mixture which connects wires to circuit boards with the use of a soldering iron. American’s pronounce this sodder and soddering iron, tee hee hee. On an oposite note, though I can order Coke from an American, if I try to order it from someone whose second language is American-English I just cannot be understood. Instead I have to ask the Mexican or Chinese waitress or (og forbid) waiter for a Cock which somehow gets understood to mean the fizzy beverage from the Coca-Cola company. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/118 "2004-07-22T00:14:37Z")
Oh, I guess I do have a minor peeve. I don’t like the pronunciation “broo-shetta” for bruschetta (“broo-sketta.”) I will use the incorrect pronunciation, though, since that seems to be the more popular pronunciation. It still pains me to say it. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/119 "2004-07-22T01:37:51Z")
“So, me and my friend are sitting here arguing over how to pronounce “rural.” I say it like “roo-rawl,” and he says it like “rrrr-rul.” Needless to say, we’re _completely_ stoned. Anyway, we were wondering: did that lady just say the Holocaust never happened?” -SNL, circa '95 ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430/120 "2004-07-22T02:01:56Z")
> [@Padmaraga](#): > > Get yourself a dictionary, dear. Look it up. Here’s what mine says for the pronuncian of arctic: (ärk’tik, är’tik). That means both pronunciations are correct. > > I will not pronounce the first “c”; it sounds stilted to me. This must from an American dictionary as the second pronunciation is not listed in either of mine. I have often wondered why Americans say Artic and Anartica, I thought it was just lazy speech. It seems many words we assume people are mispronouncing are actually correct in their part of the world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-guide-to-pronouncing-easy-words-for-those-who-cant/255430.md?page=7)