# Words that make you sound stupid if you pronounce them the way they're spelled **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 9, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933 "2004-12-09T16:01:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/41 "2004-12-09T19:16:08Z")
Well, if you’re talking place names (especially British ones) then we could be here all day: Leicester, Towcester, Wymondham, Kirkby, Guildford, Reading… (lester, toaster, win-duhm, kerbee, gill-fuhd, redding…) I still think “epitome” is the, uh, eppy-tome of this sort of word. I _know_ how it’s pronounced but I still mentally say it wrong and get tripped up by it. Same with “hyperbole” - I always think of it as a **really big** ball game… :rolleyes: Two that haven’t been mentioned, with accent on a weird syllable: antipathy parabola ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/42 "2004-12-09T19:17:34Z")
> [@Lisa-go-Blind](#): > > I thought “epoch” was pronounced “ee-pock” for the longest time. Er… it is! Isn’t it? _thumbs through dictionary_ Yes, it is. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/43 "2004-12-09T19:19:51Z")
It’s also embarrassing to mispronounce place names like: Yosemite, Phoenix, Boise, Cheyenne, San Jose. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/44 "2004-12-09T19:19:50Z")
Just about any English word that comes straight from French. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/45 "2004-12-09T19:20:40Z")
Hmm… well, my desk dictionary says EE-pock, but the [crapola online dictionary](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=epoch) gives that as the second choice, with preference to “EPP-uhk”, or some such nonsense. I have never heard that in my life. Must be those same crazy folks that pronounce “ethyl” like “Ethel”… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/46 "2004-12-09T19:21:55Z")
> [@Lisa-go-Blind](#): > > Sometimes I see “heresy” as “here-sy” (hear see). > > I thought “epoch” was pronounced “ee-pock” for the longest time. Actually it can be pronounced EE-pock. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/47 "2004-12-09T19:23:56Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Actually it can be pronounced EE-pock. No “can be” about it - it _is_. And if you disagree then I’ll set ENN-uhk Powell on ya… ---
**Author:** ![Sutremaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sutremaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sutremaine)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/48 "2004-12-09T19:39:09Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > victuals I’m confused. How is that word not pronounced as it sounds? ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/49 "2004-12-09T19:49:01Z")
victuals = vittles corps ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/50 "2004-12-09T19:49:06Z")
> [@Sutremaine](#): > > I’m confused. How is that word not pronounced as it sounds? “vittles”. [cite](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=victuals) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/51 "2004-12-09T19:51:54Z")
> [@Sutremaine](#): > > I’m confused. How is that word not pronounced as it sounds? victuals is pronounced “vittles.” (there’s only one pronunciation given in my Random House Dictionary) I was about to compare it to chitterling (pronounced “chitlen”), but my dictionary gives “chitlen” as a secondary pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/52 "2004-12-09T20:26:56Z")
Another one: whilst. Not a word used by Americans much, but a word I’ve been mispronouncing forever (in my head) when I read emails from people across the Pond. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/53 "2004-12-09T20:29:41Z")
> [@The\_Stranger](#): > > **tremorviolet** - I have heard people pronounce Nazi as “Not-Zee”…Luckily this is word not heard in everyday conversation…unless you’re talking history. Or posting here. 😉 My roommate got embarrassed around a few friends the other day when he pronounced “brooch” just as it’s spelled. One of my brothers does this all the time because he reads so much and talks to so few people, but I can’t think of any examples offhand. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/54 "2004-12-09T20:38:31Z")
conch (the preferred pronunciation being “conk”) ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/55 "2004-12-09T21:02:35Z")
2 more proper names: Ralph (pronounced “Rafe”), and Fiennes (pronounced “Fines”) Illinois ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/56 "2004-12-09T21:02:47Z")
The ironic thing is, many of these words probably used to be pronounced like they seem (thus the double humor in the French guy in Holy Grail mocking English kniggits.) ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/57 "2004-12-09T21:16:54Z")
Grandprix, do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/58 "2004-12-09T21:31:53Z")
The obvious one; Pronunciation = Pro - nun - ki - a - ti - on I’ve being doing that for so long as a joke I sometimes slip on it when I’m not meaning to. Makes you look really stupid. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stranger\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@The\_Stranger\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stranger_1)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/59 "2004-12-09T21:33:48Z")
Nazi [Pronounced](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=nazi) Pronunciation: 'nät-sE. There is no “au” sound as in “naught”… ---
**Author:** ![Sutremaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sutremaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sutremaine)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933/60 "2004-12-09T21:51:44Z")
> [@NutMagnet](#): > > victuals = vittles > > corps Ah, okay then. Thanks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-make-you-sound-stupid-if-you-pronounce-them-the-way-theyre-spelled/278933.md?page=4)