# Supposably - have mispronounced words become standard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875 "2015-02-17T00:36:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/1 "2015-02-17T00:36:45Z")
I occasionally hear someone say “supposably” as a mispronunciation of “supposedly” and I’m wondering of there are examples of where this sort of mispronunciation has actually become the standard. My guess would be that such words would have to be from before standardized spelling got going as the written forms are easily seen to be quite different, but from a purely verbal standpoint, it’s not that big of a difference. Obviously, when words get borrowed from other languages they often undergo pronunciation shifts, but I’m thinking more of something where the unwashed masses have misheard a word and made it their own. So etymology mavens… any “mispronounced” words that are now standard? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/2 "2015-02-17T00:47:02Z")
I see the word “to” mistakenly being used in place of the word “too” _all the freaking time_. So it’s only a matter of time before “to” means “too” 2. And you also forgot “supposively”. I hear that just as much as “supposably”. ETA: Sorry, I didn’t really address your OP. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/3 "2015-02-17T00:47:33Z")
You mean like how “nuclear” can be pronounced “nucular”? Or how “Wednesday” became “Wendsday”? ---
**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:** [February 17, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/4 "2015-02-17T00:53:13Z")
For about 10 years I’ve been telling my kids that there is no such word as “costed.” “It costed 5 dollars” my 17 year old daughter will say. I’m sure she must hear this from other kids. Apart from that, she’s completely normal. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/5 "2015-02-17T01:35:08Z")
Most common is pronunciation changes cause by taking the spelling literally. “Comfortable” started out with three syllables; now many pronounce it with four. “Often” has a silent “t”; it’s now being pronounced. “Victuals” was correctly pronounced “vittles”; many people pronounce it the way it’s spelled. ---
**Author:** ![mind\_the\_gap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@mind\_the\_gap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mind_the_gap)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/6 "2015-02-17T01:36:29Z")
I hear the term “impordant” instead of important all the time. ---
**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:** [February 17, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/7 "2015-02-17T01:37:58Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > “Comfortable” started out with three syllables; now many pronounce it with four. I completely disagree. Comfortable has four distinct syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/8 "2015-02-17T01:43:02Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I completely disagree. Comfortable has four distinct syllables. Kum-ftur-ble. That is how it is pronounced with three syllables. Kum-fort-ah-ble. That is how it is pronounced with four syllables. I say it the first way, as do most people IME. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/9 "2015-02-17T01:58:07Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > For about 10 years I’ve been telling my kids that there is no such word as “costed.” or “funner” ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/10 "2015-02-17T01:58:47Z")
Slow changing of the pronunciation of words is common in all languages. It doesn’t matter whether the language is written or purely spoken (which all languages were through most of the existence of the human race), gradual changes in the pronunciation of words is to be expected. In any language at any point in the history of the human race, it appears that languages change about as fast as they do at the present time. If a speaker could listen to a speaker of their language from 500 years before their time, it would be odd and a little difficult to understand. If they could listen to one from 1000 years before, it would be quite difficult to understand and would take some considerable time to get used to it. If they could listen to one from 2000 years before, it would be impossible to understand. This is true not just of pronunciation but of the grammar, the vocabulary, and the semantics of the language. Languages are always changing. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/11 "2015-02-17T02:07:08Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Slow changing of the pronunciation of words is common in all languages. It doesn’t matter whether the language is written or purely spoken (which all languages were through most of the existence of the human race), gradual changes in the pronunciation of words is to be expected. In any language at any point in the history of the human race, it appears that languages change about as fast as they do at the present time. If a speaker could listen to a speaker of their language from 500 years before their time, it would be odd and a little difficult to understand. If they could listen to one from 1000 years before, it would be quite difficult to understand and would take some considerable time to get used to it. If they could listen to one from 2000 years before, it would be impossible to understand. This is true not just of pronunciation but of the grammar, the vocabulary, and the semantics of the language. Languages are always changing. Change based on mistakes, though? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/12 "2015-02-17T02:10:19Z")
I think the standard for this is how Þe is now pronounced “ye” to sound quaint like in Þe Olde Curiosity Shoppe. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/13 "2015-02-17T02:11:36Z")
usage defines a language. a dictionary is just a catalog of usage. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/14 "2015-02-17T02:19:53Z")
Change is always thought of as a mistake to the people who try to resist the change. People think that their language has come to perfection in their time. They think that any change is part of the change of the language. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/15 "2015-02-17T02:34:52Z")
Happens all the time. The swapping of sounds within a word is an especially common way for it to happen. Frex…Three and Third used to match - Three and Thrid. (To modernize the spelling some.) Ask and aks have both been standard forms at various points. Another common way is a letter from a word getting moved to a commonly adjacent one. ‘A nuncle’ or ‘a napron’ become ‘an uncle’ or ‘an apron’, for example. The ‘n’ sound at the end of ‘mine’ often moved over to other words once ‘my’ started taking over that role, such as in the nickname ‘Ned’ - Edward gets shortened to Ed, someone close to him calls him ‘Mine Ed’, someone more used to the ‘my’ usage takes it as ‘My Ned’, and Bob’s your uncle. (Nickname itself is an example of the n from ‘an’ moving over to the word after it.) ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/16 "2015-02-17T02:43:12Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Change is always thought of as a mistake to the people who try to resist the change. People think that their language has come to perfection in their time. They think that any change is part of the change of the language. No, really, I mean mistakes, like genuine, honest to goodness, written mistakes. Like “to” slowly just becoming “too”. Does that happen? Because I see “to” used to mean “too” actually more than the proper word itself. I understand how a spoken word changes as it is spoken, over time. That’s how speech works. But does the same process happen with the written language to? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/17 "2015-02-17T02:44:49Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/18 "2015-02-17T02:44:52Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Change is always thought of as a mistake to the people who try to resist the change. People think that their language has come to perfection in their time. They think that any change is part of the change of the language. “Things need to stay the way they were when I learned them” is a depressingly widespread point of view. > [@Leaffan](#): > > For about 10 years I’ve been telling my kids that there is no such word as “costed.” > > “It costed 5 dollars” my 17 year old daughter will say. I’m sure she must hear this from other kids. > > Apart from that, she’s completely normal. well, sorry to say that if enough people start using the word “costed,” it becomes a word. I mean, at one point your post could have been written like this: \*"For about 10 years I’ve been telling my kids that there is no ſuch word as “coſted.” “It coſted 5 dollars” my 17 year old daughter will ſay. I’m ſure ſhe muſt hear this from other kids." Apart from that, ſhe’s completely normal."\* so have we been doing it wrong for the last couple hundred years? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/19 "2015-02-17T02:47:02Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > No, really, I mean mistakes, like genuine, honest to goodness, written mistakes. Like “to” slowly just becoming “too”. Does that happen? Because I see “to” used to mean “too” actually more than the proper word itself. I understand how a spoken word changes as it is spoken, over time. That’s how speech works. But does the same process happen with the written language to? > > 😉 Yes. “irregardless” is now cataloged as a word in many dictionaries. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875/20 "2015-02-17T02:53:23Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Yes. So there is no such thing as a spelling mistake or mispronunciation to you then? It’s all just the English language, evolving? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposably-have-mispronounced-words-become-standard/712875.md?page=2)