# Words that can change pronunciation when capitalized **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 10, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008 "2014-02-10T22:04:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/1 "2014-02-10T22:04:58Z")
Polish-polish Rainier-rainier Any others? ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/2 "2014-02-10T23:08:56Z")
Would you accept Tea/tea (Tea being the actress Tea Leoni, pronounced “tee-ah” or “tay-ah”)? Or Ralph (actor Fiennes, pronounced “Rayfe”)/ralph (as in vomit). ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/3 "2014-02-10T23:15:39Z")
Here’s a list I found online (they’re called “capitonyms”): •Ares: God of War; ares: Plural of metric unit of area. •August: Eighth calendar month; august: Important. •Begin: Russian-born Israeli politician; begin: To start. •Bund: Federation; bund: Irrigation embankment. •Chou: Chinese dynasty; chou: Type of pastry. •Degas: French painter and sculptor; degas: To remove gas. •Embarrass: River in eastern Illinois; embarrass: Mortify. •Ewe: A people and language Africa; ewe: Female sheep. •Job: Author of a Biblical book; job: Employment. •Junker: Member of Prussian aristocracy; junker: Old car. •Lima: Capital of Peru; lima: Type of bean. •Liver: Comedy duo The Liver Birds; liver: Human internal organ. •Magdalen: Oxford college; magdalen: Reformed prostitute. •Male: Capital of the Maldives; male: A gender. •Manes: Deified spirits of Roman dead; manes: Plural of mane. •Natal: Region of southeast Africa; natal: Relating to birth. •Nice: French City; nice: Pleasant. •Polish: Relating to Poland; polish: To make shine. •Rainier: Volcanic peak in Washington; rainier: More rainy. •Reading: Borough in England; reading: Comprehending writing. •Said: Egyptian port; said: Spoken. •Scone: Village of central Scotland ; scone: Biscuitlike pastry. •Seat: Car manufacturer; seat: Chair. •Slough: A borough in England; slough: Dead skin of reptile. •Tang: Chinese dynasty; tang: Sharp Flavour. •Worms: City in southwest Germany; worms: Plural of worm. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/4 "2014-02-10T23:18:30Z")
There’s an august event in August. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/5 "2014-02-11T06:05:50Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > Would you accept Tea/tea (Tea being the actress Tea Leoni, pronounced “tee-ah” or “tay-ah”)? Téa Leoni has a cute accent, though. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/6 "2014-02-12T16:12:17Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Téa Leoni has a cute accent, though. As far as I’m concerned she’s got all kinds of cute things 😃 Good point…however there’s also actress Tea Falco (spelled without an accent mark). ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/7 "2014-02-12T21:30:38Z")
Post edited to death because: 1. I don’t know how to delete a posting 2. I didn’t read the OP properly and my post made me sound like an arrogant idiot. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/8 "2014-02-12T21:52:11Z")
Home/home. For amusing historical reasons, the name is most often pronounced “Hume.” Not quite the same, but the state is Ar-kan-saw and the river is the Ar-kansas. For most speakers. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-can-change-pronunciation-when-capitalized/681008/9 "2014-02-12T22:43:10Z")
> [@TheBori](#): > > Post edited to death because: > > 1. I don’t know how to delete a posting > 2. I didn’t read the OP properly and my post\*\* made me sound like an arrogant idiot. > \*\* > Carry on. 1. Just replace the text with “nm.” 2. That never stopped any of the rest of us! 😃