# Mispronounced words and descriptions that drive you crazy **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 22, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951 "2018-11-22T18:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**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:** [November 30, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/161 "2018-11-30T15:11:57Z")
The word [syrup] is ‘sur-up’, first syllable rhyming with ‘burr.’ Not ‘seer-up’. And to ask a question about why something happened, the right way is to ask 'Why?" not ‘How come?’ ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/162 "2018-11-30T15:14:52Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yep, same pronunciation as yours in all cases. > > I don’t see how “x” has a different pronunciation to “ks.” They feel exactly the same to me the way I say it, and the IPA marking for it is /ks/. Perhaps some dialects distinguish it in some way, but I’m not aware mine does. I would say Mexico and Meksico exactly the same way. And I sure as heck wouldn’t even know how to distinguish “cox” from “cocks.” They are pronounced exactly the same in my dialect. The only place where “x” would be pronounced different than “ks” is in those exit/examplary/exotic examples. If spelled with a “ks,” I’d probably pronounce it voiceless (as a “ks”) as opposed to voiced, as is done in my dialect (“gz.”) When I make the “ks” sound my tongue is further forward and less of it touches the roof of my mouth. With the “x” sound it’s a further back and a little flatter against the roof of my mouth. The sound difference is subtle, but it’s crisper than a “gz” sound, less crisp than a “ks” sound. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/163 "2018-11-30T19:49:41Z")
Okay, I’ll be the one to ask. Is it ecksettra or egzettra? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/164 "2018-11-30T22:32:22Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’ve given up expecting people to know the difference between “amount” and “number”. You can’t say “the amount of people” unless you’re referring to Soylent Green. This bugs me way more than it should. Same issue with less/fewer. "There were _fewer_ people in line than I expected. " “I want _less_ Soylent Green on my plate, as I’m dieting.” The words are not interchangeable dammit :mad: ---
**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:** [November 30, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/165 "2018-11-30T22:42:10Z")
> [@newme](#): > > For me, ex is pronounced eks (exit = eksit) unless > > 1. the word starts with the spelling ex- (no leading consonant) > 2. and the accent is on the second syllable. > 3. and the first \*sound \*after the x is a vowel sound, except for words starting with exs- or exc-. > > So > **exist = egzist** > \*\* exact = egzact\*\* > \*\* exhume = egzoom\*\* > > but > > **except = eksept** > \*\* exsanguinate = eksanguinate > \*\* > So “ **eccentric** ” is still pronounced “ **eksentric** ”, although I think “ **eccentricity** ” I may pronounce either way: “ **egzentrissity" "eksentrissity** ”. I guess **eccentricity** is **WEIRD**.🙂 You may be on to something here. All those work for me, though I don’t _think_ I make an exception and pronounce “eccentricity” with the voiced sounds. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/166 "2018-11-30T22:49:53Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Okay, I’ll be the one to ask. Is it ecksettra or egzettra? > > 😃 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1JHH6iwgIek/hqdefault.jpg "The King and I Etc , Etc , Etc YouTube2") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JHH6iwgIek&t=5) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/167 "2018-12-12T00:46:33Z")
Just watched the latest episode of _Charmed_, and someone just gave as a Christmas present a “hand-carved chess set based on Japanse netsuke.” i had to rewind because a.) I’ve never heard that word used on American TV outside of _Antiques Roadshow_ and b.) I couldn’t believe how badly he mangled the pronunciation: the word is pronounced something like “net ski”–he pronounced it “net su kay.” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/168 "2018-12-12T02:37:28Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Just watched the latest episode of _Charmed_, and someone just gave as a Christmas present a “hand-carved chess set based on Japanse netsuke.” i had to rewind because a.) I’ve never heard that word used on American TV outside of _Antiques Roadshow_ and b.) I couldn’t believe how badly he mangled the pronunciation: the word is pronounced something like “net ski”–he pronounced it “net su kay.” Neither “ki” as in “ski” nor “kay” is quite right; I think the final vowel is better approximated by “e” as in “bet” ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/169 "2018-12-12T05:02:19Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > …Same issue with less/fewer. "There were _fewer_ people in line than I expected. " “I want _less_ Soylent Green on my plate, as I’m dieting.” The words are not interchangeable dammit :mad: You are the worst grammar nazi of all, a fewerer. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/170 "2018-12-12T09:25:19Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > When foreign countries commit to pronouncing english words and names in the exact way that we do then I’ll begin to give a shit. Y’all begin by agreeing on how to do it first, ok? I’ve got a guildie (Spanish language) who always flips his S and C/Z in writing. That’s bad, but it’s worse that he’s managing to infect people who used to be able to spell correctly! AAAAARGH! > [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > People who say “mano a mano” and think it means “man to man”. The phrase actually means “hand to hand”, as in combat. Even worse are those who say “mano y mano”, which means “hand and hand” and makes no sense. Part of the issue here appears to be that it’s not Spanish but pig-Spanish. In Spanish as spoken by people who actually speak Spanish, _mano a mano_ is a collaboration; even when used to refer to a “combat” type situation, it’s one where the two people are at such a similar level that it’s beautiful to watch even to those who don’t understand it (think “tour de force”). Hand to hand is _cuerpo a cuerpo_ (lit. “body to body”). You do find “mano a mano” as “hand to hand” in bad translations from English. I think it was Broomstick who provided the explanation that mano a mano isn’t actually supposed to be real Spanish: it’s a joke about the conceit that you can get any Spanish noun by tacking an -o after its English equivalent, which would indeed yield the American mano a mano as the pig-Spanish version of man to man. It’s just never been Spanish, and what’s a mistake is the common assumption that it is. Oh, and since it’s not Spanish but “gringo at its most purposefuly-stupid”, man-OW ah man-OW is actually the correct pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/171 "2018-12-12T13:55:13Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > it’s a joke about the conceit that you can get any Spanish noun by tacking an -o after its English equivalent I wish I had saved a single-panel comic from the 70s called Mr. Tweedy. The totally clueless main character was in a Mexican shop and said, “I’ll do my besto to speako Spanisho if you do your besto to speako Englisho.” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/172 "2018-12-12T14:09:41Z")
Heck, just this week (and it’s only Wednesday) there have been that kind of lineos in some of the Trumpo threados… ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/173 "2018-12-12T20:22:11Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I wish I had saved a single-panel comic from the 70s called Mr. Tweedy. The totally clueless main character was in a Mexican shop and said, “I’ll do my besto to speako Spanisho if you do your besto to speako Englisho.” I remember a radio commercial where a clueless American tourist is asking natives where to find the ATM, and he butchers their language. Mexico: “Ah, senor, el casho machinio? You know, muy dinero?” France: “Uh, mumzelly, le cache machine, silver plate?” Japan: “Ah, so Joe, me needee dough in Tokyo, you tellee me where I find quickee cashee?” ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/174 "2018-12-12T21:07:05Z")
With me, it’s pronouncing NASA “NASS-saw.” “NASS-uh” is NASA. “NASS-saw” is Nassau. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/175 "2018-12-12T21:16:14Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Okay, I’ll be the one to ask. Is it ecksettra or egzettra? > > 😃 Are you referring to e_ **T** _-set-e-ra? ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/176 "2018-12-12T22:06:06Z")
The teachers in my elementary school were high priestesses of the Funk and Wagnall’s. Therefore, I know that the second syllable in plantain is properly pronounced as it is in curtain, mountain, and captain. Readers are urged to check any dictionary should they disagree. For the other science teachers and students out there- mitosis and meiosis differ in pronunciation, but only by dropping the T sound in mitosis. Here’s a mnemonic for them: meiosis makes egs and sperms, so that’s sex, so it’s my\*\*-oh-oh-oh\*\*-sis! ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/177 "2018-12-12T22:15:24Z")
My boss uses the word “supposedly” all… the… time. The problem? He pronounces it “exposably”. Drives me fucking nuts. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/178 "2018-12-12T22:42:37Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Are you referring to e_ **T** _-set-e-ra? et-kē-te-ra, with a hard “c”, if you are actually speaking Latin. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/179 "2018-12-13T04:13:03Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I don’t understand your point here. “Eye” _is_ pronounced /aɪ/. > > If you are thinking it should be pronounced as separate syllables, no, that’s not so. The Japanese alphabet isn’t 100% syllabic. The characters あいうえお are generally not pronounced as separate syllables. They add a vowel sound and basically change a single vowel into a double vowel. The word you were looking for is dipthong: a syllable which has two vowel sounds. There are also tripthongs, such as the English word “why”: one syllable, three vowel sounds. One of the biggest difficulties of Anglophones with Spanish, Italian or Japanese is precisely that they tend to, on one hand, add extra vowels (specially when a word ends in a, one, vowel), and on the other split the dipthongs: _die-go_ becomes _di e-gou_ (well, _di e-kou_ is more like it, actually, but I was talking about the vowels). ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951/180 "2018-12-13T13:04:45Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The word you were looking for is dipthong The word \*you \*are looking for is diphthong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronounced-words-and-descriptions-that-drive-you-crazy/824951.md?page=10)