Commonly Mispronounced Words in the English LanguageCommonly Mispronounced Words in the English Language
The English language,just like any other language,can get a tad bit complicated. With the different uses of punctuations,running sentences,the proper sentence construction,hifalutin words,and so many other grammar rules,things can get confusing.
However,despite normally hearing actors and actresses in movies and television series use the language for speaking,things can still be a little bit troubling when words that contain silent letters,emphasis,articulation,and the likes,are involved.
With this,the Merriam-Webster and the South China Morning Post (SCMP) named some of the most commonly mispronounced words in the English language.
Here are some of them:
- Colonel
This word means a “military officer who ranks above a major”. Although,people oftentimes mispronounce this word due to its confusing spelling. There are people who pronounce this as how one would spell it. But the correct pronunciation is KER-nul.
- Cupboard
A cupboard is literally a board that holds cups in place. Most people commonly mispronounce this as cup-bord just like how it is spelled and how the two words are separately pronounced. However,it is actually pronounced as KUB-erd.
- Epitome
Epitome refers to a person or object that is a particular or perfect example of a specific quality or type. Although,people often mispronounce this as EPI-TOM. The correct pronunciation of this word comes from the Greek word epitome. With this,the correct pronunciation is ih-PIT-uh-mee.
- Salmon
This popular food dish is oftentimes mispronounced due to the letter L in its spelling. However,the L is actually silent. The correct pronunciation of this word is SAM-un.
- Almond
Just like salmon,almond is also mispronounced due to its silent L. The correct pronunciation of this word is a-mund.
- Stomach
The spelling of this word is quite misleading. The CH at the end would make people think it should be spoken the same as how the CH in cheese is. With this,a lot of people read this as sto-mach. But,the correct pronunciation of this word is actually STU-muk.
- Clothes
This word is actually very common due to it being a part of the physiological needs of humans. However,many people get confused with the silent E in its spelling. The correct pronunciation of this word is clohthz.
- Espresso
Espresso is basically concentrated coffee. This is one of the popular items in coffee shops all over the world. However,many people who speak in Chinese oftentimes add an x sound in its pronunciation. With this,that x sound should be omitted. The correct pronunciation of this word is es-PRES-so.
- Probably
People usually try to pronounce this 3-syllable word into only two. They usually use shortcuts to make things easier for the tongue. However,the appropriate pronunciation of this word is actually PROB-ub-blee.
Although it’s normal for humans to make mistakes,it’s still better to correct these errors and do the right thing. With this,pronunciation mistakes can easily be corrected by an IB English Tutor. Learning the correct way of saying words will make you a pro in no time.
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