# People who insist on mispronouncing words **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 23, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471 "2014-06-23T18:41:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/41 "2014-06-24T01:27:32Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I think sub-tull might be a regionalism. > I have been mispronouncing the word “segue” right up until your post. 🙂 I’d give you regionalism except in this particular case the guy was a functioning idiot (may not be precise as a clinical term) who had a nodding acquaintance with the Native Tongue, but not much else. I failed to mention (but have done so before elsewhere in these pages) the chess buddy who insisted on substituting “cultured” for “kosher” in contexts where it was obvious he had no idea what either meant. Another guy insisted on calling it a “graffling” hook. He soon became Graffler to the crowd of nay-sayers I hung out with. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/42 "2014-06-24T01:34:38Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > A coworker regularly uses the word “puter” for computer. I’m so glad that I don’t own a gun, but she would be dead a million times over if I did. I have been tempted to carry an ax and respond to inquiries related to it by telling them that it is what they are going to get hit with if they don’t stop “axing” questions. I’m not going to actually do this. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/43 "2014-06-24T02:10:33Z")
To be honest, I have no idea why “buried” is pronounced “berried”. It makes no sense to me (you are not flinging raspberries at a dead person are you?) so frankly…I pronounce it the way I would rather it be said. “Burreed.” It’s something I’ve made up my mind on. Maybe I’ll be able to create a micro-regionism that will take over the English-speaking world some day. Everyone needs a dream. Aside from that, I also suffer from “I read it in a book but never heard anyone actually pronounce this word”-itis. My husband often needs to correct me on uncommonly used words. Or sometimes normal ones. I have to think to properly pronounce “foliage” so I don’t say “foilage”, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/44 "2014-06-24T02:18:33Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > A coworker regularly uses the word “puter” for computer. Reminds me of the guy I worked with who seemed to think he was clever by always saying ‘computator’ for computer. Currently, I have a co-worker who vacations in Illinois every year. She pronounces it “ill-a-noise.” Whenever she says Illinois, someone will usually ask if she’s ever been to ‘ar-kansas’, but she doesn’t get it. She must think that state is called ‘ar-kansas.’ ---
**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:** [June 24, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/45 "2014-06-24T02:45:57Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I’m Canadian, and I say “often” as “offen,” and I don’t hear “of-ten” that often (ha.) And I’m American, I hear “of-ten” quite often. I pronounce it “offen,” and it’s one of those words that stick out for me, but I accept the “of-ten” pronunciation, as it’s quite common (in my experience.) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/46 "2014-06-24T02:51:34Z")
I’ve been to Kansas, and heard lots of people call their stretch of the Arkansas River, the “Ar-Kansas” River. I think it’s on purpose. I mean, I think they know no one else calls it that. I never heard anyone from Kansas call the actual state “Ar-Kansas,” though. There’s a town in Indiana called “Vincennes,” which everyone in Indiana pronounces “vin-SINZ.” I met someone once, who was from somewhere else, I’d assume, insisting on calling it “vin-CHEN.” I’ve been to the town, and I can safely state that the official pronunciation is “vin-SINZ.” This woman would not take the hint, though, and start pronouncing like everyone else. I guess she thought it was an Italian word, but I don’t think there even is a city in Italy called that. There’s a region, or suburb, or something, in France, for which the city in Indiana is named, where I’m pretty sure the “c” is pronounced like an “s,” not a “ch.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/47 "2014-06-24T03:01:01Z")
Place names in the USA that resemble (in spelling) places in other parts of the world are lucky to be pronounced the same as the foreign place. And some others are just regionalisms of common names elsewhere. To cite a few in this region: Cairo = Kay-row Milan = My-lunn Bolivar = Bahl-uh-ver Jordan = Jurr-dun Marion = May-run Florence = Flarnts ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/48 "2014-06-24T03:07:37Z")
I say “offen,” but I do hear “off-ten” a lot. I also pronounce Wednesday as it is written, because that’s how I learned it in Scotland as a kid. Apart from that I sound like any other middle of the country Canuck. Well, I do pronounce loch the proper way too: not lock. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/49 "2014-06-24T03:09:22Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’ve been to Kansas, and heard lots of people call their stretch of the Arkansas River, the “Ar-Kansas” River. I think it’s on purpose. I mean, I think they know no one else calls it that. I never heard anyone from Kansas call the actual state “Ar-Kansas,” though. Yeah, that’s one of those regional pronunciation things. Wikipedia claims it extends to parts of Colorado, too. Here in Illinois, there’s probably a few, but the one that springs to mind is Bourbonnais, Illinois, which is locally known for having the Chicago Bears training camp. Outside the town, the pronunciation is universally Bourbon-ay (like the whiskey, with an “ay” appended.) The older locals, especially, will often pronounce it “bur-BON-iss” or “bur-BONE-iss.” ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/50 "2014-06-24T03:10:58Z")
In Texas there are two towns that out-of-staters have trouble with - Mexia, pronounced Ma-hay-a and Refugio, pronounced Re-fury-o. There’s a relatively new town north of Houston called The Woodlands. Residents get offended if you mispronounce their town by leaving out the THE. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/51 "2014-06-24T03:30:22Z")
> [@Obeseus](#): > > Currently, I have a co-worker who vacations in Illinois every year. She pronounces it “ill-a-noise.” Whenever she says Illinois, someone will usually ask if she’s ever been to ‘ar-kansas’, but she doesn’t get it. She must think that state is called ‘ar-kansas.’ > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’ve been to Kansas, and heard lots of people call their stretch of the Arkansas River, the “Ar-Kansas” River. I think it’s on purpose. I mean, I think they know no one else calls it that. I never heard anyone from Kansas call the actual state “Ar-Kansas,” though. I once saw a press conference with Les Miles, head football coach at Louisiana State University, and he said the team was preparing to play Ar-Kansas next week. ---
**Author:** ![troubledwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@troubledwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troubledwater)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/52 "2014-06-24T03:30:50Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > There are people who simply don’t make the connection with how other people pronounce something and the way they do. They can’t even be brought to hear it.\ > It has to be an aural dysfunction, as he is highly intelligent, fairly well-read, and is an excellent speller. I imagine there are others with the same kind of issue. Have you met my mother? She would routinely mock newscasters mispronouncing “nuclear” and “hundred” (as “hunnert”), but was completely unable to hear her mispronunciation of “children” as “cholldren.” ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/53 "2014-06-24T04:01:51Z")
> [@CheshireKat](#): > > In Texas there are two towns that out-of-staters have trouble with There are a heck of a lot more than two. Boerne, Gruene, Iraan, and Chillicothe, to name a few. Reminds me of that old joke that ends “DARE-REE KWEEN.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/54 "2014-06-24T04:50:27Z")
> [@troubledwater](#): > > Have you met my mother? She would routinely mock newscasters mispronouncing “nuclear” and “hundred” (as “hunnert”), but was completely unable to hear her mispronunciation of “children” as “cholldren.” The one that bugs me is “chewdren.” ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/55 "2014-06-24T05:38:32Z")
Lots of people here in Texas refer to Whataburger as Water-burger. Also heard the word hyperbole as hyper-boil. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/56 "2014-06-24T05:58:09Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Lots of people here in Texas refer to Whataburger as Water-burger. That one’s because of all the R’s that migrate from Boston to Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/57 "2014-06-24T06:02:24Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > The one that bugs me is “chewdren.” There’s even “trill-dren” in this area. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/58 "2014-06-24T06:02:55Z")
There is a town in the Shendoah Valley of Virginia named Buena Vista. It is pronounced by the locals Byoona Vista and if you say it any other way, you will be corrected. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/59 "2014-06-24T11:15:33Z")
When I was living in Chicago, the local supermarket was called Jewel, but everyone I knew called it Jewels. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471/60 "2014-06-24T13:41:16Z")
A very irksome word I hear mispronounced all over the southeastern US, people trying to pronounce the L in **salmon**. It’s a silent letter people! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-mispronouncing-words/691471.md?page=4)