# Words We Pronounce Wrong But Nobody Cares **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 31, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807 "2019-03-31T14:08:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/221 "2019-04-04T16:15:30Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I don’t think so, we may shorten the word “Cafe” to “caf” (I know I do). Just like we shorten “university” to “uni” I don’t think it is an alternative pronunciation though. I can’t see any logic to that. Fair point, might be. > [@PitJ](#): > > Being German as (apparently, seeing your username) you are as well, I am familiar with Tass’ Kaff’ since the Werner comics but I haven’t heard that outside a reference to the comics, like Life of Brian quotes. Ah - sorry to disappoint, but no, I’m English. The name just seemed appropriate for the board, or at least my use of it. (I could almost add, _see the above…_.) j ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/222 "2019-04-04T16:29:48Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Because we giggle like 12-year-olds when we say “ASS.” So a news story that included the line, “Smith successfully navigated the morass before he reached the glacier, where he fell into a crevasse” would be a real knee-slapper then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/223 "2019-04-04T16:37:26Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > “why-ronnie” “Because I’m the President, Nancy.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/224 "2019-04-04T17:07:40Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > True, but don’t assume that we’re are entirely without blame. After all, we pronounce Café as “Caff”. Like this: > > OK, not all of us do. But plenty enough. > > j OK, if that one doesn’t work, there’s “fillet,” which gets the more Frenchy pronunciation in US English (/fɪˈleɪ/ or “fih-LAY”) and usually the more Anglicized pronunciation in UK English (/ˈfɪ.lɪt/ or “FILL-it.”) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/225 "2019-04-04T17:40:01Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > So a news story that included the line, “Smith successfully navigated the morass before he reached the glacier, where he fell into a crevasse” would be a real knee-slapper then. 😃 Well, obviously the first is a British Automobile (Morass Minor) and the other is just a crevice. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/226 "2019-04-04T19:54:12Z")
As to harass, hair-us is the older pronunciation. I just checked two print dictionaries, from '79 and '74, and both give hair-us as the preferred pronunciation. I have read older ones in which it was the only pronunciation given. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/227 "2019-04-04T20:28:04Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I don’t think so, we may shorten the word “Cafe” to “caf” (I know I do). Just like we shorten “university” to “uni” I don’t think it is an alternative pronunciation though. I can’t see any logic to that. Ah, word shortening. The one I can’t stand is “alum.” Why? I always read it as alum, aluminum potassium sulfate, as used in pickles- not as alumnus or alumna. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/228 "2019-04-04T20:51:19Z")
Oh, alum is bad, but nowhere near as detestable as ‘celeb’. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/229 "2019-04-04T22:50:51Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Oh, alum is bad, but nowhere near as detestable as ‘celeb’. I just listened to a podcast where you can go to their web site and buy “merch.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/230 "2019-04-04T23:23:23Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Oh, alum is bad, but nowhere near as detestable as ‘celeb’. > [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I just listened to a podcast where you can go to their web site and buy “merch.” Aw, you guys are totes adorbs! ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/231 "2019-04-05T00:46:13Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Great, thanks! > > Although I think he pronounced it “why-ronnie” 😉 See, there’s why you need IPA right there. In my native variant of English, “why” is aspirated and doesn’t sound at all like the name of the letter ‘Y’. So I have to guess what your variant of English might be (and I have to be familiar with it) in order to work out what pronunciation you are suggesting here. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/232 "2019-04-05T00:51:39Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > See, there’s why you need IPA right there. In my native variant of English, “why” is aspirated and doesn’t sound at all like the name of the letter ‘Y’. So I have to guess what your variant of English might be (and I have to be familiar with it) in order to work out what pronunciation you are suggesting here. Why (:)) do you have to guess? I pronounce them them same. The letter “Y” and the word “Why” are pronounced the same to me. I’m not sure how IPA would help if I put the same characters for both of them. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/233 "2019-04-05T01:11:40Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Why (:)) do you have to guess? I pronounce them them same. The letter “Y” and the word “Why” are pronounced the same to me. Why should he necessarily know that that’s gow it works in your accent/dialect? > [@](#): > > I’m not sure how IPA would help if I put the same characters for both of them. It would tell him exactly what he needs to know. Because if he transcribes his own pronunciation, he would NOT use the same characters. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/234 "2019-04-05T01:16:24Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > It would tell him exactly what he needs to know. Because if he transcribes his own pronunciation, he would NOT use the same characters. Maybe, but if he did, he would be wrong 🙂 I just looked it up: I pronounce “why” like waɪ And I pronounce the letter “y” like waɪ does that help? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/235 "2019-04-05T02:29:39Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Maybe, but if he did, he would be wrong 🙂 > > I just looked it up: I pronounce “why” like waɪ > > And I pronounce the letter “y” like waɪ > > does that help? Yes, it does. Now I know what previously I could only guess; you pronounce “why” /waɪ/, rather than /hwʌɪ/ or /hwaɪ/. It was obvious to me that you have the same pronunciation for ‘Y’ and ‘why’. But that doesn’t tell me what the pronunciation is. That’s where IPA comes in. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/236 "2019-04-05T02:45:32Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > It was obvious to me that you have the same pronunciation for ‘Y’ and ‘why’. But that doesn’t tell me what the pronunciation is. That’s where IPA comes in. Does anyone pronounce the letter “Y” as /hwʌɪ/ or /hwaɪ/? ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/237 "2019-04-05T03:04:26Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’ve experimented and when I say “surebit,” with my peers, they’re like “what the fuck are you talking about?” for the most part. The ones who don’t take a beat or two to figure it out, so why would I do that to them, if my dialect prefers “sure-burt”? Similarly, I know it’s broosketta, but, unless I’m at some fancy pants Italian restaurant, I say brooshetta, because that’s what the majority of people say. It’s not about right or wrong, for me. It’s about being most immediately understood with a given audience. This post is another example of why something like IPA (which, I agree, is a bit of a pain to use when you don’t use it often enough to memorize it, and you’re on a mobile device) is necessary. I infer from pulykamell’s post that he or she pronounces the word “sure” as ʃɜɹ. But I pronounce “sure” as ʃoɹ. It’s 100% homophonous with “shore.” So the first thought that went through my mind when reading pulykamell’s post was “why the heck would anyone pronounce that word as ‘shore-bit’ or ‘shore-burt’?” ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/238 "2019-04-05T03:04:41Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Does anyone pronounce the letter “Y” as /hwʌɪ/ or /hwaɪ/? Not that I’m aware of, but there are more, and more diverse, variants of English than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Horatio, so my ignorance isn’t necessarily the yardstick by which this should be measured. Different variants of English do name letters of the alphabet differently; why should ‘Y’ not be one of the letters to receive this treatment? And the general point holds good; there have been many instances on the Dope where someone writes, in effect, “I pronounce like I pronounce [y]” and I’m left thinking “well, _that’s_ not a lot of help”. Bear in mind that we’re in a thread about pronunciation. The utility of the IPA in conveying, in written form, information about pronunciation is obvious. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/239 "2019-04-05T10:56:28Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > This. > > It doesn’t matter how some pedant thinks a place name is “supposed to be” pronounced; it only matters what the people who live there or go to school there say the pronunciation is. > > I live in Illinois. Despite its French-looking spelling, it is not pronounced Eel-in-WAH. We have a river (and a town named after it) called Desplaines. It is NOT pronounced Day-PLAHN. The southern Illinois city of Cairo is pronounced CARE-o. > > Actually, this extends beyond just place names. I once laughed out loud when Alex Trebeck (who I have always found to be a bit pretentious) read a question about the Jimi Hendrix song he pronounced “Voodoo Chee-LAY”. I live in Illinois, too. I live outside a village called Versailles. It’s pronounced “VER-sales”. It was named after Versailles, KY- where the settlers of the town came from. I’ve had people insist that the town, where I was born and raised, is pronounced “Ver-sie”. Like the one in France. I’ve even been laughed at and called stupid. Hey, what it’s called is what it’s called, and this is a rural farming community, not France. It’s “VER-sales”! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807/240 "2019-04-05T11:06:35Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Different variants of English do name letters of the alphabet differently For example, in some varieties of Indian English, “H” is called [hɛtʃ] “hetch” and “W” is called [ɖʌblu] “Dub-loo.” > [@](#): > > And the general point holds good; there have been many instances on the Dope where someone writes, in effect, “I pronounce like I pronounce [y]” and I’m left thinking “well, _that’s_ not a lot of help”. Exactly [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-we-pronounce-wrong-but-nobody-cares/831807.md?page=13)