# Words you mispronounce on purpose for a hunnert, Alex **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 23, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963 "2006-08-23T23:18:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/1 "2006-08-23T23:18:24Z")
The show Numb3rs is Numb-three-ers. Blade II was “Bladell”, in Sam Jackson voice. I know it’s stupid, but I just couldn’t help saying “syl-A-ble” (as in accent on the wrong) instead of syl-ABLE until that (ancient) gag was in a sutpid movie trailer and I had to stop. An old friend whose English wasn’t the best one day said “tenACKLE” when he met tentacle, and that stuck; another (Spanish) drummer friend said “hee-hat” instead of hi-hat, and they will forever be hee-hats now. My little brother used to say “nanaba” instead of “banana”, so now I sound like a three-year old when I want something to put on my cornflakes. Yours? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/2 "2006-08-23T23:20:32Z")
Target as in the Store as Tar-Shjay Luis Soho’s name I used to pronounce as So-so {and I liked him} Jim ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/3 "2006-08-23T23:43:05Z")
My boyfriend will say axe when he means ask. He only does this because it irritates me. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/4 "2006-08-24T00:02:06Z")
I like to say “veeeee-HICKLE” when referring to my car. I also sometimes contract “do you want to?” into “yon’t to?” in a satirical/ironic sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/5 "2006-08-24T00:26:42Z")
Em-PHA-sis. As in, “you pronounced it wrong! The em-PHA-sis is on the penultimate syl-LA-ble!” ---
**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/6 "2006-08-24T00:36:23Z")
Most of my mispronunciations are based on other people pronouncing it wrong. Other people being mainly Homer Simpson. I say “tommorry” instead of tommorrow. “Lie-berry” as oppposed to library. I often add an “ma” into words… “Saxamaphone” or “edumacate” being good examples. There’s a bunch of others too. I often pronounce “pen” “peen”, generally followed by a sentence starting with “is” Sometimes I’ll adjust words so they’re more dirty. I have an ear infuction. I enjoy mispronunciations. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/7 "2006-08-24T00:52:02Z")
Sammich. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/8 "2006-08-24T01:03:09Z")
More malapropism than mispronunciation, but when there are threatening, black thunderclouds in the sky, the sky looks omnibus. But, to stick to the thread…the activities one performs in chemistry labs are spearmints. When I try a new recipe, it’s a spearmint. And then there is fud (otherwise known as food), a reference to a Gary Larson cartoon where the dog is trying to lure the cat into the dryer with a sign about “Cat fud.” My son has adopted my “Are you red-eye?” for “Are you ready?” (When a mere tot, he also came up with “poop-taste” for “toothpaste.” We still use that one, much to his annoyance.) ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/9 "2006-08-24T02:03:50Z")
Not really a mispronunciation but when our four year old came up with this we adopted it for exclusive use. Something took place yesterday but more towards the night time. Me: Do you mean what happened yesterday? him: No. It was yesternight daddy. Makes more sense to me than yester_day_ in one use and last night in the other. Yesternight. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/10 "2006-08-24T02:06:39Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > I like to say “veeeee-HICKLE” when referring to my car. > > I also sometimes contract “do you want to?” into “yon’t to?” in a satirical/ironic sort of way. Reminds me of a trip to Ms.Nic’s family in Tennessee Jeet yet? (Did you eat yet?) Nup. Yon’t to? I love that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/11 "2006-08-24T02:06:49Z")
Poog-nant, instead of pungent. My college bf said it once – I assume it was a joke … – and I haven’t said it any other way since. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/12 "2006-08-24T02:12:27Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > But, to stick to the thread…the activities one performs in chemistry labs are spearmints. When I try a new recipe, it’s a spearmint. > > And then there is fud (otherwise known as food), a reference to a Gary Larson cartoon where the dog is trying to lure the cat into the dryer with a sign about “Cat fud.” Good heavens. Are you me? In addition to these two, I also tend to pickup on malaprops and kiddie pronunciations. Which is why the opposite of vertical is horizontical, and when I measure something, I am trying to find out its lengthedness. I put tomaynoes and cubungers on salads, and when I get all dressed up to go out somewhere I put on a pair of pantytoes. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/13 "2006-08-24T02:14:35Z")
Had a friend that routinely said fat-E-cue for fatigue and re-ZOOMEE for resume’ If I say the photographer I say phoTOGrafer but if it follows the word photograph as in “This photograph was taken by the same photo-grapher” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/14 "2006-08-24T02:17:37Z")
Strategery, instead of strategy, from the SNL Bush/Gore skit. Aminal, because that’s what I said when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/15 "2006-08-24T02:30:48Z")
Nekkid. It’s quite distinct in meaning from naked. Naked means you have no clothes on. Nekkid means you have no clothes on and you’re up to something. Kuh-nife (knife) and Kuh-niggit (knight), and skizors (scissors) just to amuse myself. It’s been about 20 years, and I still amuse myself. My family might just want to throttle me, however. 😃 We overpronounce “actually”, so it sounds like ACK-chew-a-lee, because it was my friend’s 3 year old’s favorite word. Every sentance started with it: “ACK-chew-a-lee, I’d like some toast.” “ACK-chew-a-lee, that’s Big Bird.” “ACK-chew-a-lee, I don’t want to go to bed!” I’ve also adopted “strategery” and “misunderestimate” from Our Esteemed Leader. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/16 "2006-08-24T02:34:34Z")
spaghetti = pa-scetti Subaru = Boobersu (thanks to a college bf) and I’ve infected my roomate, her fiancee, and my fiancee with the same pronunciation (they have an Outback) Moron = maroon Any word with silent letters - I inherited these from my mom: Knight = k’nidg-et scissors = skis-sors muscle = mus-kle ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/17 "2006-08-24T02:53:19Z")
Astrominy - but only when taught to liberal arts student who get a C for naming the planets in order on the final - you don’t need to be able to pronounce it to pass. The real science is still Astronomy. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/18 "2006-08-24T03:06:19Z")
Yoop-da-licked-us for Eucalyptus (thanks to a friend in high school who could never quite get it right). Density for Destiny (thanks to Back To The Future, IIRC). Skitty-cats for kitty-cats (obvious combination of “skittish” and “kitty”) Eric Cartman’s “You will respect my authoritah!” has had a lasting effect. I’m terriblah sorrah if it annoys you. ---
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/19 "2006-08-24T03:10:43Z")
When we were kids in full-on begging mode, we’d contract “Can I have?” to “C’ave” (rhymes with have). So when you’re trying to be annoying and childish it’s “C’ave a cookie?” said in the whiniest tone possible. Also “ossifer” instead of “officer” especially when mimicking a drunk and/or stupid person who’s been caught by the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963/20 "2006-08-24T03:16:54Z")
[Hijack]Cutest thing I’ve ever seen: a five-year old was ‘helping’ her grandfather make his specialty breakfast waffles - me, I was just there for company. Grandfather tells granddaughter that it’s now time to separate the eggs - meaning, of course, to separate the yolks from the egg whites. Granddaughter does not know this, so does what she thinks is required: she takes four eggs and places them oh-so-carefully at each corner of the kitchen table. Too Cute For Words.[/Hijack] You can sometimes get some weak smiles around here by mispronouncing some of the local Spanish place names, like “La Jawla” for “La Jolla”, “San Josie” for “San Jose”, et cetera. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-mispronounce-on-purpose-for-a-hunnert-alex/369963.md?page=2)