# Mispronunciation/ Poor grammar that bothers you **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475 "2005-07-07T17:02:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**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:** [August 6, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/201 "2013-08-06T21:15:08Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I just won 10 bucks off myself. > > Can you point to an instance where the use of literally in its traditional sense caused confusion with the use of literally as a general intensifier? Because I can tell you, knowing and using both meanings has never caused me confusion. Complaints about the use of “literally” as hyperbole or as a general intensifier amuse me. “Literally” is not being used to mean “figuratively” in those sentences. It is used hyperbolically or for emphasis. Is it an overused emphatic? Sure. But I’ve never come across a use where it was unclear to me in what sense it was being used. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/202 "2013-08-06T21:59:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That’s surprising. [Here’s a search of this very board](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22should+of%22+site%3Aboards.straightdope.com&oq=%22should+of%22+site%3Aboards.straightdope.com&aqs=chrome.0.69i57.4268j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=ba7a78f71e171f2e&q=%22should+of%22+site:boards.straightdope.com+-grammar+-%22should've%22+-%22should+of+course%22), trying to limit it to usages that are not talking about the grammar of “should of.” Interesting. I guess it’s just not something I pay attention to. > [@pulykamell](#): > > And how do we get “orderv” out of “hors d’oeuvres.” Clearly, the “v” comes before the “r.” It’s French. As I said, those French can’t pronounce anything right. > [@pulykamell](#): > > But there is no “r” in either of those pronunciations. That’s what I don’t get. Goethe in American English is often pronounced “GAIR-tuh” or “GER-tuh” (or even “GOATH-EE” here in Chicago), but there’s no “r,” or even hint of one in the German pronunciation. It sounds somewhat like the way British English speakers might pronounce the vowel in “fur” with a dropped “r”, but it sure as hell to me doesn’t sound like a rhotic. You’re hitting on the point. The vowel sounds like the way non-rhotic Brits pronounce “fur”, and that gets into a fuzzy zone of “did they mean an r or not?” Rhotics then go insert a hard r. > [@](#): > > That “r” drives me nuts. I had a Hungarian-English dictionary say that the word _köszönöm_ (“thank you”) is pronounced like “KER-ser-nerm” in English, which sounds absolutely ridiculous to me until I realized that it actually does sound somewhat similar in Received Pronunciation UK English, where the “r” is dropped, but downright comical in American English. “KUH-suh-nuhm” would be a good bit off the mark, but a hell of a lot closer and more easily understood in American English. Sounds like a Brit wrote that translation. Nonrhotics tend to insert “er” as their spellings for what a rhotic is going to use “uh” to represent. To a nonrhotic, that encapsulates the sound they want, confusing the hell out of rhotics trying to read it. Vowels are a spongy mess anyway. ---
**Author:** ![vontsira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/51bf81/32.png) [@vontsira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vontsira)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/203 "2013-08-06T22:45:33Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > We pronounce it the same. My point was words where letters that don’t exist in the word are pronounced. For example, there is no “r” in “colonel” (and where did the second “o” go), just like there is no “f” in “lieutenant” (although British English pronounces one.) Thanks – and to Inner Stickler. Reading-comprehension fault on my part. Don’t know how relevant – and posting in haste, without researching – but I believe that “colonel” in Spanish, is “coronel”. In French, if I’m right, “co-lo-nel”. English pronunciation, halfway between the two? Who knows how it all came about… ? (The Germans, in their military, don’t have the word – their equivalent is “oberst”.) ---
**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:** [August 6, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/204 "2013-08-06T22:48:16Z")
> [@vontsira](#): > > Thanks – and to Inner Stickler. Reading-comprehension fault on my part. > > Don’t know how relevant – and posting in haste, without researching – but I believe that “colonel” in Spanish, is “coronel”. In French, if I’m right, “co-lo-nel”. English pronunciation, halfway between the two? Who knows how it all came about… ? (The Germans, in their military, don’t have the word – their equivalent is “oberst”.) Yep, that’s pretty much it. There’s actually a short [Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/752/why-is-colonel-pronounced-kernel) column about it. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/205 "2013-08-06T23:11:06Z")
Ah, I thought of another one: mischievous. There is _ **NO I** _ after the v! Why do people say one there? ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/206 "2013-08-06T23:19:57Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Ah, I thought of another one: mischievous. There is _ **NO I** _ after the v! Why do people say one there? I’d say because there are a lot more words spelled with ending -evious than -evous. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/207 "2013-08-07T00:33:02Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Ah, I thought of another one: mischievous. There is _ **NO I** _ after the v! Why do people say one there? That’s on my list of junk English I have heard in the last two weeks. Along with homogenious. The others that bent my ear near breaking were: drownded Basic-est funnily and seriouser And I listen to Public radio! :eek: ---
**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:** [August 7, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/208 "2013-08-07T00:52:54Z")
Homogeneous is a perfectly good word. > **[Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](https://www.yahoo.com/)** > > Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo! ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/209 "2013-08-07T01:21:12Z")
> [@OurLordPeace](#): > > One simply must defer to the British. I wish I spoke like they do on the BBC, and/or spoke Received Pronunciation. > > Also, as somebody else noted, some illogical changes need not open the door to a great many. Most of the British don’t speak like you hear on the BBC. In fact I would say at least 75% of the British are very poor English speakers, some of them even worse than Australians. ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/210 "2013-08-07T01:57:40Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > Most of the British don’t speak like you hear on the BBC. In fact I would say at least 75% of the British are very poor English speakers, some of them even worse than Australians. Mate, there’s no need for that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/211 "2013-08-07T02:11:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Complaints about the use of “literally” as hyperbole or as a general intensifier amuse me. “Literally” is not being used to mean “figuratively” in those sentences. It is used hyperbolically or for emphasis. Is it an overused emphatic? Sure. But I’ve never come across a use where it was unclear to me in what sense it was being used. That’s true, but now we have no word to use for what _literally_ used to mean, except for some poor substitutes like _actually_. I mean, if someone literally jumped out of his shoes (a possibility), how can I convey that without backtracking or elaboration? Everyone just assumes it’s hyperbole from the start, and I have to repeat it to make it clear that the person’s feet left the shoes. It’s become a nuisance. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/212 "2013-08-07T02:11:34Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Homogeneous is a perfectly good word. > [Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/homogeneous) By George. Alternative form. Didn’t know that. Consider ignorance fought and vanquished. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/213 "2013-08-07T02:18:12Z")
Just thought of another one: Using ‘worse’ when ‘worst’ is meant. For example, “Dr. Barnes is the worse professor I’ve ever had.” ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/214 "2013-08-07T02:25:41Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Blasé-blah is just old ass slang. It just means someone was talking a lot of bullshit… “Talking that ol’ blasé blah,”. You learn something new every day.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/215 "2013-08-07T02:29:01Z")
> [@want2befree](#): > > Just heard one right now. Co-worker said “real a tor” for realtor. I’ve given up trying to correct my fellow Realtors, who mispronounce it with three syllables. I kid you not, many do. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/216 "2013-08-07T03:02:16Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > That’s true, but now we have no word to use for what _literally_ used to mean, except for some poor substitutes like _actually_. I mean, if someone literally jumped out of his shoes (a possibility), how can I convey that without backtracking or elaboration? Everyone just assumes it’s hyperbole from the start, and I have to repeat it to make it clear that the person’s feet left the shoes. It’s become a nuisance. I’ve found legit and legitimately creeping into my speech for just such an occasion. “I legit jumped out of my shoes when he burst out of the door.” And tie your shoelaces next time. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/217 "2013-08-07T03:03:45Z")
Ok, so am I the only one here under the impression that **funnily** is a real word? (I mean they’re all real words but funnily is a proper real word, I swear.) ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/218 "2013-08-07T03:04:56Z")
Funnily enough, I always thought that too, Inner Stickler. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/219 "2013-08-07T03:20:40Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Complaints about the use of “literally” as hyperbole or as a general intensifier amuse me. “Literally” is not being used to mean “figuratively” in those sentences. It is used hyperbolically or for emphasis. Is it an overused emphatic? Sure. But I’ve never come across a use where it was unclear to me in what sense it was being used. I’m with you on that. The best part is the complete absence of complaint about the use of “really” in exactly the same context. If you say, “He really jumped all over you when you told him that,” no snarkybutts say, “What, were you injured?” but try swapping in “literally” and some snarkybutt maven is gonna think it’s worth making an irrelevant joke. Awhile ago I asked for anyone to give an actual example from real life in which the use of the word “literally” was confusing. Nobody was able to do so, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475/220 "2013-08-07T03:27:11Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > That’s on my list of junk English I have heard in the last two weeks. Along with homogenious. > > The others that bent my ear near breaking were: > > drownded > Basic-est > funnily and > seriouser > > And I listen to Public radio! :eek: WTH is wrong with “funnily”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mispronunciation-poor-grammar-that-bothers-you/311475.md?page=12)