# "Jewlery" vs. "Jewelry" and other commonly mispronounced words. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 18, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989 "2004-06-18T04:29:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/41 "2004-06-18T20:10:47Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > um, excuse me, hon? I’ll have you know I spent my formative years in Parkville, with weekly visits to my grandmother in East Balmer, not only helping her rench out the zink after she warshed the dishes, but I helped her scrub her marble steps… > > 😃 > > But I don’t have the accent. I can’t even do the Balmer “o” when I try. Sorry, hon, you weren’t in the thread then. To get the Bawlmer “o” you need to listen to that “Crabs for Christmas” song (the pop stations play it incessantly in December :rolleyes: ). The chorus is all Bawlmer “o” 's. “O-o-o-o-o-o… I want crabs for Christmas!” ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/42 "2004-06-18T20:25:53Z")
Ahh, the Bawlmer “o.” It’s more of a “ayoaw.” Almost Cockney. “Down” is pronounced “daown.” Watch the early John Waters films for classic Bawlmerese: _Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble_ (his newer films are too New Yorky). “Ah onnerstan’, Ah onnerstan’!” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/43 "2004-06-18T20:46:46Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Being in real estate, I cringe when I hear “real-a-tor.” Some people even spell it that way. It’s REAL-TOR. Two syllables. > > I always say “pacific” instead of “specific.” I cannot say “specific.” That is one impossible to pronounce word. I had a boss who had this same problem. No offense, Annie-Xmas, but it drove me bat-shit. I still think you’re the bee’s knees, but…aaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhh! ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/44 "2004-06-18T21:03:33Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Jewelry and jewellery are both correct. This is news to me. When I saw the title of this thread I nearly chocked on my breakfast. It’s only ever been jewellery in this part of the world. I have heard people say jewelry but always assumed it was a mispronunciation. One which annoys me and it only seems to be people from the US who say this, is Anartica. There is another _t_ and _c_ in Antarctica. ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/45 "2004-06-18T21:06:24Z")
> [@jastu](#): > > This is news to me. When I saw the title of this thread I nearly chocked on my breakfast. Preview, preview, preview…choked!!! :wally ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/46 "2004-06-18T21:08:54Z")
My son says either “brekfuss” or “bekfrest”, not “breakfast.” Which, to be fair, isn’t even pronounced that way… ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/47 "2004-06-18T21:42:25Z")
My biggest pet peeves have been covered: “heighth” and the mangling of “jewelry”. Personally, my least favorite version of “jewelry” is when it comes out “JOO-ree.” What does this guy ;j have to do with it?? I mean, I know he could have been involved, but it’s not a guarantee! ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/48 "2004-06-18T22:46:23Z")
My mother used to warsh the clothes in aour warshing machine, and the dishes in the dishwarsher. It drove me crazy for twenty years. I suppose she still does it, but I don’t have to hear it anymore. **Chotii** , you and your husband’s family are not the only ones who pronounce the “d” in Wednesday. I amso pronounce the “r” in February. I don’t care if “highth” is in the dictionary. So is the pronunciation “noo-kyu-ler” They are both still wrong. There’s a Chevrolet dealer here in town who runs radio commercials in which the \*owner of the dealership \* pronounces the word “Chiv-o-lay”. I literally scream at the radio every time I hear it. Luckily for me, I’m a Ford man. (technically, I’m more of a Land Rover / Jaguar / Volvo / Aston Martin man, but they’re all one big happy family now) Oh, and speaking of Jaguar, “jag-war” is fine for the animal, but I always figured that the car should be pronounced “jag-yoo-ar”. English car, English pronunciation. Bur “jag-wire” is just wrong. And while I’m on the subject of British pronunciation: The aforementioned “jag-yoo-ar” is fine, as is “la-bor-i-try” for laboraotry (so as to not confuse it with “lav-a-tor-y”, I was once told). I can even stand “lef-ten-ant”, although I can’t for the life of me understand it. But “a-loo-min-i-um” is not only pronounced incorrectly, it also has an extra letter in it. Although I do have to agree with Eddie Izzard on the word **herb** : “You say ‘erb’, and we say ‘HERB’, because there’s a f\*\*\*ng H in it.” ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/49 "2004-06-18T22:48:00Z")
The previous post would have quite a lot fewer misspellings if I could understand the differecnce between the phrases “Preview Post” and “Submit Reply”. ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/50 "2004-06-18T23:07:31Z")
I hear “ambl-ee-ance” a lot instead of “ambulance”. And people saying “meridian” instead of “median” to describe the concrete island in the middle of the road. ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/51 "2004-06-18T23:09:09Z")
I hate people pronouncing aluminium as aluminum, and I just don’t get why some people pronounce bonnet as hood. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Consumer\_Sovereignty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Consumer\_Sovereignty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Consumer_Sovereignty)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/52 "2004-06-19T03:21:51Z")
[http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/aluminum](http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/aluminum) [http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/aluminum](http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/aluminum) etc. Seems like aluminum is interchangable with aluminium. What about people who say “pronounciation” (pronunciation)? Got too many 'o’s there, mate. Also, (not quite a mispronunciation), but: sensual vs sensuous. Oh, how about “astricks”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/53 "2004-06-19T03:43:30Z")
> [@](#): > > I just don’t get why some people pronounce bonnet as hood. 😕 My first three cars were MGBs. I pronounce “bonnet” correctly. And I know the hood gets stowed in the boot on sunny days. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/54 "2004-06-19T03:56:13Z")
My boss has a million words she slaughters, but the one that jumps to mind is suh-pose-ah-bly instead of supposedly. Then there is the ever-popular axe instead of ask, flash or flax instead of flask, and pin when they want a pen. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/55 "2004-06-19T05:20:09Z")
There is an entire sub-dialect of English among first-language English speakers of Greek, Italian, and Portuguese descent in Montreal that lacks the word “women.” The pronunciation “woman” is used both in the singular and plural. Don’t ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/56 "2004-06-19T14:04:36Z")
Asterix (when not referring to a cartoon character). When someone says that, I can’t exscape from their presence fast enough. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/57 "2004-06-19T15:07:24Z")
Then there’s people that say eksetera when they mean et cetera, and even abbreviate it ect! ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/58 "2004-06-19T15:26:45Z")
> [@Stainz](#): > > And people saying “meridian” instead of “median” to describe the concrete island in the middle of the road. Or medium. ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/59 "2004-06-19T17:07:15Z")
[Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) has an interesting note on the pronunciation of _ **nuclear** _… > [@](#): > > _ **Usage Note:** _ The pronunciation (nooky -l r), which is generally considered incorrect, is an example of how a familiar phonological pattern can influence an unfamiliar one. The usual pronunciation of the final two syllables of this word is (-kl - r), but this sequence of sounds is rare in English. Much more common is the similar sequence (-ky -l r), which occurs in words like _particular, circular, spectacular,_ and in many scientific words like _molecular, ocular,_ and _vascular_. On the subject of _ **vegan** _ and “veh-jan”, would the latter be pronounced the same way as _ **veggin’** _ (from _ **vegging** _) - a word used to describe someone just relaxing and lying about. And now, let’s get to the word _ **pronunciation** _. Why the heck do we say it that way when it comes from the word _ **pronounce**?_ (Or is it the other way around, and should I be complaining about how we say _ **pronounce** _ in relation to _ **pronunciation**?_) pronunciation = to pronounce _WTH?_ :rolleyes: Stupid English language… _“We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”_ - Booker T. Washington Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![wnorthr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@wnorthr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnorthr)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/60 "2004-06-19T21:33:03Z")
What does a bomb sound like when it goes off in Fells Point? BEWM. More from Bawlmer. Ambyoolance pixture chimbly [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989.md?page=4)