# What words do you \*intentionally\* mispronounce? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374 "2003-05-20T20:13:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/81 "2003-05-22T04:14:02Z")
“Pacific” for "Specific,’ it is a (U.S.) Army thing. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/82 "2003-05-22T04:14:02Z")
sammich = sandwich musckles = muscles hunnid = hundred finna -or- fixina = fixing to skinned = skinneded (e.g. fair skinneded) That’s all I can think of right now. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/83 "2003-05-22T05:15:57Z")
I say “lex-dis-ick” instead of dyslexic. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/84 "2003-05-22T05:52:29Z")
aminals instead of animals. pelancks instead of pelicans. - some others, which are a bit too rude to repeat, IMO 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Grelby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grelby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grelby)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/85 "2003-05-22T06:11:06Z")
Nothing off the top of my head, except for Feb-yoo-ary. I know how it’s supposed to be pronounced, and even said it correctly for a while, but for some reason that now escapes me, I switched back (which took some real effort, too…). I can still say it ‘correctly’ when I want to sound like an overly pretentious grammar Nazi (hmmm, that might have something do with my decision to switch back ;)). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/86 "2003-05-22T14:16:53Z")
> [@](#): > > aminals instead of animals. Five Year Old **MilliCal** does this. We haven’t been able to break her of it. ---
**Author:** ![lovelyluka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@lovelyluka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lovelyluka)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/87 "2003-05-22T15:05:06Z")
My mother apparently does not have the words “antique” and “unique” in her vocabulary. They are “anti-Q” and “uni-Q”. She knows it’s wrong, and that it drives me crazy. But she won’t stop! Argh… ---
**Author:** ![TJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@TJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJay)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/88 "2003-05-22T15:08:09Z")
Electrickery - my eldest son coined this, and it just seems to explain electricity so much better than the actual word. Mamote matrol - remote control: another one invented by my son which just kind of stuck in our house. And my favourite… Darth Maul = Daft Maud: as pronounced by my nephew when Phantom Menace came out! ---
**Author:** ![cleops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@cleops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cleops)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/89 "2003-05-22T15:13:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Grelby \* > Nothing off the top of my head, except for Feb-yoo-ary. I know how it’s supposed to be pronounced, and even said it correctly for a while, but for some reason that now escapes me, I switched back (which took some real effort, too…). I can still say it ‘correctly’ when I want to sound like an overly pretentious grammar Nazi (hmmm, that might have something do with my decision to switch back ;)). February–how _is_ it “supposed” to be pronounced? I was taught way back when that it was feb-yoo-ary. Is that “correct”? It’s the one that sounds right to me; feb-Roo-ary is too labored. And Parisienne = pah-ree-zee-en, n’est-ce pas, **njufoic**? Parisian = Pah-RHEE–zhen. Man, I’ve got time on my hands. ---
**Author:** ![HBby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/977dab/32.png) [@HBby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HBby)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/90 "2003-05-22T15:18:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by njufoic \* > **Does anyone else pronounce Target (as in the store) as “Tar-jay”? I picked that up from a friend, and I’ve met several other people who do it to.** Heh. A friend of mine does that. For her, it comes from making a discount department store sound chic. From my baby sister when she was 2 yo: _pa SKE ti_ = spaghetti From my ex-boyfriend: _par MEE zhen_ cheese = parmesan cheese (it rolls off the tongue better) ---
**Author:** ![skreemr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@skreemr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skreemr)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/91 "2003-05-22T19:28:56Z")
Librarians = Libertarians armadildo = armadillo ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/92 "2003-05-22T19:58:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Occasionally I will pronounce the name of the NFL’s Greatest Quarterback Ever as it is spelled (Fav-ruh) instead of how it is supposed to be pronounced (Farrrve). Actually, this word is pronounced _muh-REE-no_. And I say\* jye-raff \*for that long necked spotted creature they keep in the local zoo. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/93 "2003-05-22T21:36:27Z")
I picked up these bad pronunciations from my mother (whose first language is NOT English) as a kid. 1. chiropractor = cowpactor (I once said this to my Gr. 6 teacher, who made a joke about “Bessy on the farm”, which I didn’t get at the time… I thought my mom was pronouncing it correctly… I was soon disabused of this ridiculous notion) 2. anus = AH-nus. (don’t ask ME why she thought it was the right way to say it…) Now, of course, I pronounce the words the right way… but still occasionally pronounce them “the Mom way.” F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/94 "2003-05-23T01:00:48Z")
My brother had a speech impediment as a child and couldn’t say his Ls, so a lot of those words got modified, such as piddow = pillow wow-ee-pop = lollipop On one occasion, he said, “I wanna leave!” and it came out “I wanna weave!” Now all my friends say that when THEY want to leave. He also used to say “Bolshoi” instead of “bullshit,” and I can’t hear about that ballet company now without thinking of him. My grandmother spoke broken English (we were just a mess at my house, pronunciation-wise), and I picked up some of her idioms, such as hook = hood (of your jacket) jeepiz creepiz = jeepers creepers cooom ona = come on (as in, hurry up, c’mon!) Some other words I modify: poopy dog = puppy dog puddy tat = pussy cat foosies = pussies, when referring to CATS And the famous Sylvester the Cat mispronunciation: DESTHPICABLE! ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/95 "2003-05-23T03:36:57Z")
I say par-a-dig-em for paradigm. I say it in a broken, stereotypically redneck accent. I ain’t got me none of that them there fancy par-a-dig-ems. I lost me one of my dig-ems, now I only got one ldig-em left. ---
**Author:** ![Grelby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grelby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grelby)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/96 "2003-05-23T03:46:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cleops \* > \*\*February–how _is_ it “supposed” to be pronounced? I was taught way back when that it was feb-yoo-ary. Is that “correct”? It’s the one that sounds right to me; feb-Roo-ary is too labored. > \*\* Actually, yes, Feb-yoo-ary is an acceptable pronunciation, but _technically_ February is meant to be pronounced as spelled. As I essentially said, however, insisting that Feb-yoo-ary is wrong is the kind of thing a hair-across-their ass grammar nazi would do. Feb-yoo-ary is quite acceptable, including educated conversation. Please keep saying it that way, it’s easier on everyone. I only sound out the r when spelling it. ---
**Author:** ![soulsearcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@soulsearcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsearcher)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/97 "2003-05-23T16:30:20Z")
achally - actually shopEE - shoppe walrus - wallet pYooblix - publix grocery store miss you at yahoo juanita 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/98 "2003-05-23T16:45:07Z")
**skreemr** ], I love armadildo. In our family, we have “chay-os” for “chaos,” ever since my sister saw Chaos: Making A New Science on the bookshelf and said, “Daddy, what’s ‘chay-os’?” We use it mostly to tease her. My mom and I also say “automobubble” for “automobile,” and “de-briss” for “debris.” Among friends, it’s “grassy-ass” for “gracias.” ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/99 "2003-05-23T21:23:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TJay \* > \*\* > > And my favourite… Darth Maul = Daft Maud: as pronounced by my nephew when Phantom Menace came out! \*\* Daft Maud??? BWAHAHAHA…that had me laughing to tears. My older sister once pronounced “awry” as “awree”…she really thought it was pronounced that way. I called her on it and we laughed about it, and we pronounce it that way now. I called “fajitas” Fajytas (like vaginas)…it grosses people out. heehee. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374/100 "2003-05-23T21:37:22Z")
Know one’s mentioned “gyro”? I pronounce it “jie-row”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-intentionally-mispronounce/176374.md?page=6)