# What words do you mispronounce in your head even though you know better? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 17, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765 "2009-05-17T17:53:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/41 "2009-05-18T18:07:40Z")
I _know_ ennui is pronounced “on-wee,” but it will always be “en-yoo-eye” in my head. ---
**Author:** ![BaconAndEggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@BaconAndEggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaconAndEggs)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/42 "2009-05-18T18:55:09Z")
I still say K’ taral when I see Ctrl on the keyboard, and pig up when I see page up. Thank you Simpsons episode. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/43 "2009-05-18T20:02:40Z")
Another - an ex girlfriend of mine, when young, would read to her mother out loud from her mother’s text books (so mum could study and do domestic stuff at the same time). Came across a word she didn’t know, and gave it her best shot - boogie-wah. Bourgeois. I can’t think of Marxist economics now without a smile and a mental image of ol’ Karl in a John Travolta 3-piece white suit. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/44 "2009-05-18T20:17:11Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Penelope. To me it’s penuh-lope. > > StG I had a hard time with Persephone. I said it two ways in my head. One was PersUH fonee with the emphasis on UH. Like Persa Phony the other was Persa fone. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/45 "2009-05-18T20:35:33Z")
> [@Noel\_Prosequi](#): > > Came across a word she didn’t know, and gave it her best shot - boogie-wah. > > Bourgeois. A friend was talking to a security guard whose first language was not English. She asked him how he was doing, and he said that he got a suppowayna in the mail. A what? A suppowayna. Whatever. It told him that he had to go to court. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/46 "2009-05-18T21:47:20Z")
Extraordinary is another one: extra ordinary (which sounds like it should mean _extremely_ ordinary. Why isn’t it transordinary?). ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/47 "2009-05-18T22:16:00Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > I _know_ ennui is pronounced “on-wee,” but it will always be “en-yoo-eye” in my head. I didn’t know that was how “ennui” was pronounced! I only ever use that word in crossword puzzles, but still, it’s nice to know the right way to think it. I’m glad I’m not the only one that pronounced “Linux” wrong. From what I understand, the man that developed it doesn’t really care how people say it. But he calls it “Linn-ucks” when speaking English, so I guess that’s the correct way. My computer-geek friends are purists, and gave me hell when I called it “Line-ucks!” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/48 "2009-05-18T22:17:28Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I had a hard time with Persephone. > > I said it two ways in my head. > > One was PersUH fonee with the emphasis on UH. Like Persa Phony > > the other was Persa fone. > > :smack: What is the correct way? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/49 "2009-05-18T23:11:38Z")
> [@Dusty\_Rose](#): > > What is the correct way? Per seh foe neee ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/50 "2009-05-19T00:44:27Z")
Banal. For years I thought it was pronounced bayn’l. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/51 "2009-05-19T13:02:59Z")
There are certain words that I like to mispronounce in my head. Wednesday, for example, is pronounced Wed-ness-day. Like a day celebrating wed-ness. Words that begin with a “C” also get special treatment. “Cracker” becomes “Sea-racker” and when Rock the Casbah comes on the radio I think, “Ah, my favorite song by The Sea-lash.” ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/52 "2009-05-19T14:00:57Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > There are certain words that I like to mispronounce in my head. Wednesday, for example, is pronounced Wed-ness-day. Like a day celebrating wed-ness. I mispronounce Wednesday in my head on purpose so I can spell it correctly. Same thing with “Connecticut,” for instance. In my head, it’s “connect-eye-cut.” ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/53 "2009-05-19T22:56:33Z")
I have trouble with the abbreviation for pounds (“lbs”) When I see it in print, I read it as “libs.” I actually was doing a presentation and read my notes as “100 libs.” ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/54 "2009-05-19T23:16:48Z")
I live in a region with a lot of Spanish speakers and a lot of Spanish surnames. As a result whenever I see the word “vigil” (as in, “there will be a candlelight vigil tomorrow night for the victims of mopery”) I pronounce it in my head as VEE-hil. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/55 "2009-05-19T23:32:35Z")
> [@Duck\_Quack\_s\_Echo](#): > > Segue. Anyone who uses this word or knows how to pronounce it properly is a pretentious boofhead. Yeah, when I was attending a prestigious Ivy League university, I used this word all the time. The only problem was that I pronounced it “seeg”. Finally my roommate asked me what the heck was that word “seeg” that I used all the time. That was an embarassing conversation. Count me as someone who says “Wed-NEZ-day” in my head. I also say “be-uh-YOU-tee-full” as a spelling reminder, and “pin-uh-PULL” (it’s a fruit from Hawaii) just for fun. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/56 "2009-05-19T23:43:58Z")
I was a champ speller years ago. I used to pronounce words in my head in a funny way to remember how to spell them. The one I still do this with (out of habit) is “people”. In my head I say “Peee-OP–leee.” ---
**Author:** ![Bamboo\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bamboo\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bamboo_Boy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/57 "2009-05-20T00:04:28Z")
I do this. Subtle I say in my head “sub-tull” (I thought this word was spelled “suttle” until kind of late in life!) Indict I say “in-dict” Hippopotamus I say “Hippo-poh-TAH-miss” ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/58 "2009-05-20T01:20:01Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Per seh foe neee Thank you! > [@jabiru](#): > > Banal. For years I thought it was pronounced bayn’l. So did I. Lord, I’m starting to feel like an idiot!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/59 "2009-05-20T01:42:13Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > There are certain words that I like to mispronounce in my head. Wednesday, for example, is pronounced Wed-ness-day. Like a day celebrating wed-ness. Close, actually - it’s celebrating Wōđinaz (Odin). I’m not even sure I’m capable of pronouncing “restaurateur” properly. The “n” sneaks in no matter what I do. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765/60 "2009-05-20T01:54:47Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > Banal. For years I thought it was pronounced bayn’l. You mean rhymed with “anal”? That’s a valid pronunciation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-words-do-you-mispronounce-in-your-head-even-though-you-know-better/496765.md?page=4)