# Pronunciations that make your skin crawl **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430 "2007-03-25T16:16:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/1 "2007-03-25T16:16:27Z")
Even if a dictionary accepts a pronunciation as okay, there are some that strike me as precious, snooty, faux-intellectual or just annoying. One I just heard on TV is a prime example: processes. I have always thought “PRAH-sess-iz” was the right was to say the plural of “PRAH-sess” and that “prah-sess-EEZ” was an affectation to make it sound more scientific or academic or just plain “important.” Any that bug you like this? Do you prefer the version I dislike? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/2 "2007-03-25T16:17:44Z")
Ne-go-see-a-shun. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/3 "2007-03-25T16:20:30Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Ne-go-see-a-shun. [/QUOTE] Good one. Makes me think of another I loathe: Kahn-tra-ver-see-uhl. To me, kahn-tra-ver-shul sounds less uppity. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/4 "2007-03-25T16:25:43Z")
MISS-CHEE-VEE-OUS. Augh. It’s only _three_ syllables, people. \>\<; ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/5 "2007-03-25T16:54:14Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Ne-go-see-a-shun. [/QUOTE] Do they really say this? I always thought is was a trick of my radio or TV speaker not being able carry the sound frequency to distinguish /s/ and /sh/. I concur with “proc-es-seez”, and recently, for _dioceses_, I’ve been hearing “die-oh-seez”. And this is on public radio, where they generally try to foster an atmosphere of erudition. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/6 "2007-03-25T17:10:37Z")
off-Ten I know the dictionary says it’s ok, and I’ve read debates on grammar message boards about it…but my best friend pronounces it this way and I know he does it because he thinks it’s right and it makes him seem smart, but really it just makes him sound like a douche. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/7 "2007-03-25T17:15:37Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Even if a dictionary accepts a pronunciation as okay, there are some that strike me as precious, snooty, faux-intellectual or just annoying. One I just heard on TV is a prime example: processes. I have always thought “PRAH-sess-iz” was the right was to say the plural of “PRAH-sess” and that “prah-sess-EEZ” was an affectation to make it sound more scientific or academic or just plain “important.” Any that bug you like this? Do you prefer the version I dislike? [/QUOTE] Arrrgh! I prefer prO-cess tyvm. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/8 "2007-03-25T17:18:43Z")
[QUOTE=zelie zelerton] Arrrgh! I prefer prO-cess tyvm. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Okay. How do you say its plural? Proh-sess-eez? ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/9 "2007-03-25T17:31:04Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Okay. How do you say its plural? Proh-sess-eez? [/QUOTE] Yup. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/10 "2007-03-25T17:35:47Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] off-Ten I know the dictionary says it’s ok, and I’ve read debates on grammar message boards about it…but my best friend pronounces it this way and I know he does it because he thinks it’s right and it makes him seem smart, but really it just makes him sound like a douche. [/QUOTE] That bugs me too. It’s always people that want to seem smarter than they are. A-crossed, as in “it was a-crossed the street”, drives me nuts too. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/11 "2007-03-25T17:36:15Z")
[QUOTE=zelie zelerton] Yup. 🙂 [/QUOTE] In that case, I’m pleased I don’t have to _hear_ your posts. 😉 Since turn about is fair play, what pronunciations “get all over” you? Surely there must be at least one. And I don’t just mean that you feel the pronunciation is ill-advised, as might be the case with the ubiquitous “nue-cue-ler” that our esteemed chief executive seems to enjoy bludgeoning us with. No, I mean the ones that really make you squirm. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/12 "2007-03-25T17:43:22Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] In that case, I’m pleased I don’t have to _hear_ your posts. 😉 Since turn about is fair play, what pronunciations “get all over” you? Surely there must be at least one. And I don’t just mean that you feel the pronunciation is ill-advised, as might be the case with the ubiquitous “nue-cue-ler” that our esteemed chief executive seems to enjoy bludgeoning us with. No, I mean the ones that really make you squirm. [/QUOTE] Count me among the process-eez type. The one I hate: “harassment”. It should be harras-ment with the emphasis on the “ass” part (so to speak! :eek: ). I hate when it’s pronoucned haires-ment, all soft-like. Bah. I can’t explain it! Also- “tarrah” for “terror”. I have a friend whose daughter is named Tara. I alsways feel for her when they discuss “the war on tarrah”. Kid’s gonna get a complex. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/13 "2007-03-25T17:47:15Z")
Miss-cheev-ee-us. (Inarticulate scream.) Nook-you-lur. (Scream is louder, now.) Real-a-tor. (Soft moan.) ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/14 "2007-03-25T17:48:08Z")
pruh-MEER rather than PREM-ee-air IZ-ril or IZ-reel rather than IZ-rayel ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/15 "2007-03-25T17:51:00Z")
EYE-rack eye-RACK ee-RACK EYE-ran eye-RAN ee-RAN ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/16 "2007-03-25T17:56:18Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] In that case, I’m pleased I don’t have to _hear_ your posts. 😉 Since turn about is fair play, what pronunciations “get all over” you? Surely there must be at least one. And I don’t just mean that you feel the pronunciation is ill-advised, as might be the case with the ubiquitous “nue-cue-ler” that our esteemed chief executive seems to enjoy bludgeoning us with. No, I mean the ones that really make you squirm. [/QUOTE] Pretty much any American pronunciations of words can sound wrong. Not that it’s wrong for there - it just is for here. I don’t mind it too much though I also wish people would learn to pronounce the names of places correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/17 "2007-03-25T18:05:03Z")
[QUOTE=zelie zelerton] Pretty much any American pronunciations of words can sound wrong. Not that it’s wrong for there - it just is for here. I don’t mind it too much though I also wish people would learn to pronounce the names of places correctly. [/QUOTE] So, is JAG-you-wer to be preferred over JAG-war? And is Eck-you-a-dorr a preference to Eck-wa-dorr? ---
**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:** [March 25, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/18 "2007-03-25T18:09:12Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] and recently, for _dioceses_, I’ve been hearing “die-oh-seez”. And this is on public radio, where they generally try to foster an atmosphere of erudition. [/QUOTE] How is this plural pronounced anyway? I pronounce the singular as “DIE-uh-seez.” Would it be “DIE-uh-seez-uz.” Sounds kind of funny to me. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/19 "2007-03-25T18:12:55Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] So, is JAG-you-wer to be preferred over JAG-war? And is Eck-you-a-dorr a preference to Eck-wa-dorr? [/QUOTE] Well I suppose that depends on where you live. For the UK it would be jag-u-ar though that’s mostly in reference to the car. We tend not to have too many giant kitties running around. 🙂 I’ve never heard the first version of Eck-you-a-dor. Is that an American thing? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Perro_Fumando)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430/20 "2007-03-25T18:19:39Z")
FOL-age (A former roommate refused to pronounce the I in Foliage) ma-TOUR (or worse, ma-TOUR-ih-tee.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-that-make-your-skin-crawl/397430.md?page=2)