# "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:** 4
**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, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/61 "2004-06-19T22:07:56Z")
Oh, yeah. Back to _ **nuclear** _. If people just looked at the spelling of the word, I don’t see why they can’t figure out how to pronounce it. If you split the word up into two pseudo-words, it should be relatively easy. IMO, the two easiest ways to split _ **nuclear** _ up are **nu-clear** and **nuc-lear**. The first split creates two words that should be easy for most English speakers to pronounce - “nu” (or “new”) and “clear”. Is it really hard for people to pronounce “clear”. It’s quite a common word. If one puts these two words together they get “new-clear”, which may sound like a brand of window cleaner, but also happens to be a good pronunciation of _ **nuclear** _. The second split creates two words that may be a bit more difficult to figure out but, combined, make a somewhat more accurate pronunciation of _ **nuclear** _. “Nuc” (or “nuke” - a popular shortened version of _ **nuclear** _) and “lear” (as in _King Lear_ or a _lear_jet). Combined, you get “nuke-lear”, which may sound like a military super-weapon, but also happens to be a somewhat better pronunciation of _ **nuclear** _ than “new-clear”. And, whether someone pronounces the word as “new-clear” or “nuke-lear”, it’s definitely better than pronouncing it as “new-Q-lur”. Anyhoo… ---
**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 26, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/62 "2004-06-26T23:28:26Z")
I was watching that motorcycle program with the loudmouth dad, and I noticed he said “Valen **times** ”. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/63 "2004-06-26T23:48:02Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Then there is the ever-popular axe instead of ask, flash or flax instead of flask, and pin when they want a pen. I’ve often wondered when the children of these people go out for Halloween, are they told to wear a maxe? And what’s up with excape, all of a sudden? For the last few years it seems I hear this all the time. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/64 "2004-06-27T03:33:43Z")
> [@Beauty Personified](#): > > [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. I’ve had this pointed out to me before on these very boards when I was railing about “nucular”. I think the logic of the mispronunciation is a crock of shit. “Orange” is much rarer than “nuclear” when it comes to similar sounds in the language, yet we don’t see a dictionary-sanctioned dumbing down to pronounce it as “oranag”. I mean, the dictionary is saying it’s okay to add an entire friggin’ syllable simply because the word is unusual. Years ago I called a guy out about his saying “nucular” in referencing something about his job. I figured since he dealt with the term at work, he should learn how to pronounce it. He gave me a blank, uncomprehending stare. So I asked him what the center of a cell is called. He replied, without hesitation, “nuculous”. Oh, the humanity. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/65 "2004-06-27T07:26:48Z")
> [@sunfish](#): > > Heh, **masonite** , that was the first thing that came to mind when I saw this thread. > > Let me axe you something… what’s up with saying “mischievious” rather than “mischievous”? FWIW, I was actually _taught_ to say mis-CHEE-vee-ous in grammar school. :mad: Old habits die hard. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/66 "2004-06-27T08:12:43Z")
Many great athaletes compete in the decathalon, the heptathalon, and the triathalon. ---
**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 27, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/67 "2004-06-27T16:16:54Z")
Speaking of sports… “Wimble **t** on”. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/68 "2004-06-27T16:37:37Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > And I just remembered the days of the week. Mondee, Tuesdee, Wensdee, Thursdee, Fridee, Saturdee, and Sundee. That ones big in certain Baltimore 'burbs. Guess you didn’t bother to open a dictionary, didja? ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/69 "2004-06-27T17:19:11Z")
Dated reference, but… it used to irk me that newsreaders would pronounce the city Berlin correctly with the accent on the 2nd syllable, but then when talking about the Berlin wall suddenly they became hillbillies, pronouncing it BER-lin. ---
**Author:** ![Darkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@Darkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkness)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/70 "2004-07-02T19:50:51Z")
The mispronunciation of nuclear is the most iritating for me. I recall hearing President Bush saying “nu-q-lar”. Our president doesn’t even pronounce it correctly. :rolleyes: At a district spelling bee in middle school and the word was nuclear. The speaker pronounced it “nu-q-lar”. The girl spelled it nucular. :smack: If it was me I would’ve protested, cause the idiot mispronounced it. Also “huge”. I can’t stand when people say “Uge” . ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cheapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8e7dd6/32.png) [@El\_Cheapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cheapo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/71 "2004-07-02T21:57:59Z")
So-sha-scurity So-sha-curity So-sa-curity So-security So-scurity Take your pick. It’s SOCIAL SECURITY… a two-word phrase with SIX syllables! ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/72 "2004-07-02T21:59:32Z")
my two main pet peeves are “sits” instead if “six” and “mandantory” instead of 'mandatory" ---
**Author:** ![The\_27th\_Evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@The\_27th\_Evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_27th_Evil)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/73 "2004-07-02T22:09:10Z")
Anyone who’s spoken to elderly people in the northeastern area of Pennsylvania will undertand these… “I’ll have **tree** chicken **tighs** , **haina**?” “I used to go play in the **crick** …” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/74 "2004-07-02T22:20:13Z")
> [@Beauty Personified](#): > > “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 That is a GREAT quote! It’s almost too good to be authentic. Anybody know the exact source? > [@Darkness](#): > > The mispronunciation of nuclear is the most iritating for me. > I recall hearing President Bush saying “nu-q-lar”. Our president doesn’t even pronounce it correctly. I wonder why former nuclear engineer Jimmy Carter doesn’t correct him. ---
**Author:** ![Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Live_Better_Electrically)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/75 "2004-07-02T23:08:44Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > The mispronunciation that drives me mad is LAIR-nix for larynx. Thank you. I wouldn’t say it annoys me exactly, but I always notice when people pronounce the “t” in **often**. ---
**Author:** ![Zelski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c67d28/32.png) [@Zelski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zelski)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/76 "2004-07-02T23:24:21Z")
I often hear “ornery” pronounced honoree (as in honor plus eeeee), and it bothers me a little. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/77 "2004-07-03T00:12:01Z")
> [@ShadiRoxan](#): > > Warsh… where the hell is the R coming from? The R escaped from how we (mostly) say Jaguar up here= Jag-wa(h). 😛 As for nuclear does anyone know of a site with an audiofile of the popular mispronuncation? I can’t recall ever hearing anyone say anything but nu-clear. I know, Bush says it, but I hate presidential addresses(I don’t think I’ve gotten though an entire one yet, all the way back to Ronnie), so I’m not about to listen to one on the off chance he says it. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/78 "2004-07-03T03:56:46Z")
_Laxadaisical_. **Lax** and **lackadaisical** are both correct, but lackadaisical speakers say _lacks-a-dais-ic-al_. _Drownded_. **Drowned** (one syllable) is all you need to say! ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/79 "2004-07-03T05:49:03Z")
> [@dmartin](#): > > Then there’s people that say eksetera when they mean et cetera, and even abbreviate it ect! _shudders_ I had a friend who used to pronounce and write “forget” like “froget.” That is, until I corrected her. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989/80 "2004-07-05T02:13:56Z")
My boss does not say the word “an” in front of a noun that starts with a vowel. He will say “a apple.” It makes me crazy. My audit teacher pronounced the word “litigious” as “li-ti-gu-ous” with a hard g. This also drove me crazy. Many of the words you have mentioned make me nuts, like jewelry and realtor. I sometimes use words that people don’t get, such as the word “natty.” The people I said it to thought it had the opposite meaning. Anyway, I am well-known at my office for my picky ways of pronouncing things. Unfortunately, this doesn’t get me too far, because I CAN’T PRONOUCE THE WORD THROW. For some unknown reason, I leave the r out. This is true for throw, threw and through. I’ll be talking away and everyone starts laughing at me AGAIN! Of course, I can say it right, but unconsciously say it wrong EVERY TIME. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewlery-vs-jewelry-and-other-commonly-mispronounced-words/250989.md?page=5)