# Words that are pronounced exactly like they sound **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 13, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986 "2009-04-13T20:59:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/1 "2009-04-13T20:59:28Z")
(Which, of course, you had assumed for awhile must have had some weird spelling.) I only have two examples: I just learned today that (the anglicization at least of) the composer **Shostakovich** is exactly how it sounds like it’s spelled – certainly there had to be some random c’s or z’s in there? Same thing with the English placename **Surbiton** – surely, as an English place name, there had to be a few silent "shire"s or "ing"s there, or, to be more serious, I was sure that either the “u” or the “i”, or both, were really "e"s, but it also is indeed spelled the way it sounds to my ears. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/2 "2009-04-13T21:49:37Z")
[Pilotage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilotage), the process of navigation by landmarks, is pronounced like _postage, poundage_, etc. I somehow had the idea it was French: _pee loh tahj._ ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/3 "2009-04-13T22:17:19Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I just learned today that (the anglicization at least of) the composer **Shostakovich** is exactly how it sounds like it’s spelled – certainly there had to be some random c’s or z’s in there? Seems like there are two instances of a random _h_. There are two pronunciations of the\* o\*. Not clear why there’s a _k_ instead of a _c_. Also, I’m quite sure that all words are pronounced exactly like they sound … ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/4 "2009-04-13T22:18:37Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > **Words that are pronounced exactly like they sound** All of them. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/5 "2009-04-13T22:40:58Z")
> [@Duhkecco](#): > > Seems like there are two instances of a random _h_. > There are two pronunciations of the\* o\*. > Not clear why there’s a _k_ instead of a _c_. The h’s aren’t random: in English, the “h” is used regularly as part of two-letter combinations such as “ch”, “sh” and “th”, since English doesn’t have a single letter for those sounds. I agree that there are two o sounds, though here it follows a regular pattern (short vowel before double consonant “st”; long vowel before single consonant “v”). (And, of course, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule). The letter “k” is used to transliterate Cyrillic “к” because “k” has only one normal sound in English, while “c” has two different sounds depending on the following vowel. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/6 "2009-04-13T22:58:55Z")
Joking about the misworded OP aside, I surprised by how many folks are completely baffled when they come across places here with native american names. You can sound most of them out and be more or less correct. Androscoggin, Monadnock, Massabesic, Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Pocasset, Scituate… ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/7 "2009-04-13T23:02:22Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Joking about the misworded OP aside, I surprised by how many folks are completely baffled when they come across places here with native american names. You can sound most of them out and be more or less correct. Androscoggin, Monadnock, Massabesic, Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Pocasset, Scituate… …Schuylkill… Oh wait, that’s Dutch, never mind. Russian names are definitely tough – I only mastered “Khrushchev” after I counted the h’s. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/8 "2009-04-14T04:11:33Z")
Triage - the process whereby nurses go through a quick check with patients before handing them over to a doctor - is pronounced try-idge, like a normal English word, despite my brain telling me it should be tree-azh, as if it were French. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/9 "2009-04-14T04:15:27Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Triage - the process whereby nurses go through a quick check with patients before handing them over to a doctor - is pronounced try-idge, like a normal English word, despite my brain telling me it should be tree-azh, as if it were French. Oh my god. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/10 "2009-04-14T04:34:06Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Triage - the process whereby nurses go through a quick check with patients before handing them over to a doctor - is pronounced try-idge, like a normal English word, despite my brain telling me it should be tree-azh, as if it were French. Um, [what](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triage)? 😕 I think that would confuse everyone I speak to at the ER, every day. And it IS French. (It sounds like it’s pronounced :p) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/11 "2009-04-14T12:16:40Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Triage - the process whereby nurses go through a quick check with patients before handing them over to a doctor - is pronounced try-idge, like a normal English word, despite my brain telling me it should be tree-azh, as if it were French. Er, a couple of other folks have already chimed in, but I’ll third the 😕 When I trained as an EMT, it was definitely pronounced TREE-ahj. And on M_A_S\*H also. Arguably the acCENT shoulda been on the secOND syllABle or at least both stressed similarly but it’s definitely _not_ Try-age. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/12 "2009-04-14T12:30:40Z")
Piscataway, Ho-ho-kus and Hoboken New Jersey ---
**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:** [April 14, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/13 "2009-04-14T12:35:17Z")
Turbot - most people think it’s pronounced “tur-bow” as though it were French, but the correct is “turbət.” ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/14 "2009-04-14T12:36:54Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Joking about the misworded OP aside, I surprised by how many folks are completely baffled when they come across places here with native american names. You can sound most of them out and be more or less correct. Androscoggin, Monadnock, Massabesic, Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Pocasset, Scituate… Don’t forget Kancamagus. ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/15 "2009-04-14T12:48:46Z")
How about [fillet](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fillet), especially the verb? > [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > And it IS French. Then why did you cite an English dictionary? 😉 Of course, there’s a French word _triage_, and there’s an English word _triage_. The most common pronunciation of the English word is similar to that of the French word. But, what’s the English pronunciation of Paris? Or, France? Or petit four, or connoisseur, or omelette? Aren’t these all French words that should (?) be pronounced the same in English as in French? ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/16 "2009-04-14T12:57:34Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > The h’s aren’t random Yes. I was just teasing **Ludovic** about the “random c’s or z’s”. If the letters in a word were random, there would be no connection between spelling and pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/17 "2009-04-14T12:59:43Z")
Of course this is all bull… no words are pronounced like they appear. I remember when I was a child and I said \*Seen \*Connery was in a movie. I didn’t know any better then but I do now. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/18 "2009-04-14T13:47:20Z")
Omemee. Oshawa. Mississauga. Toronto. Ontario. All more-or-less native names that are pronounced more-or-less as they are spelled. Don’t get me started about “Sault Ste. Marie”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/19 "2009-04-14T13:48:51Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Joking about the misworded OP aside, I surprised by how many folks are completely baffled when they come across places here with native american names. You can sound most of them out and be more or less correct. Androscoggin, Monadnock, Massabesic, Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Pocasset, Scituate… Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg… ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986/20 "2009-04-14T15:55:14Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Joking about the misworded OP aside, I surprised by how many folks are completely baffled when they come across places here with native american names. You can sound most of them out and be more or less correct. Androscoggin, Monadnock, Massabesic, Pemigewasset, Winnipesaukee, Pocasset, Scituate… What about “Schuylkill”, a river in the South Eastern part of PA (Philly metro area)? Locals say “skoo-kill”. It’s also the name of a local expressway, now known as the 'Sure-Kill Expressway". 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-pronounced-exactly-like-they-sound/492986.md?page=2)