Another Twenty Commonly Mispronounced Words in English

Today’s English
September 20th, 2017

(Continuation of yesterday’s posting)
21. Word : plumber
Wrong pronunciation: plumbar
Correct pronunciation: pluma (b and r are silent) /ˈplʌmə/

22. Word : recipe
Wrong pronunciation: risaipee, resipi
Correct pronunciation: resapi /ˈresəpi/

23. Word : colonel
Wrong pronunciation: calo-nel, coloniyal
Correct pronunciation: kenal /ˈkɜːnl/

24. Word : Greenwich Mean Time
Wrong pronunciation: Greenwhich Meen Taim
Correct pronunciation: grenitch meen taim /ˌɡren.ɪtʃ ˈmiːn taɪm/

25. Word : Fahrenheit
Wrong pronunciation: farenheet, farenheit
Correct pronunciation: farenhait /ˈfærənhaɪt/

26. Word : elite
Wrong pronunciation: elait
Correct pronunciation: ileet /ɪˈliːt/

27. Word : niche (meaning suitable role, job, etc.)
Wrong pronunciation: nichey
Correct pronunciation: neesh /niːʃ/

28. Word : cache
Wrong pronunciation: cachi, cachey
Correct pronunciation: cash /kæʃ/

29. Word : women
Wrong pronunciation: wumen
Correct pronunciation: wimin /ˈwɪmɪn/

30. Word : monk
Wrong pronunciation: maangk
Correct pronunciation: mungk  /mʌŋk/

31. Word : suite (a set of rooms in a hotel)
Wrong pronunciation: suoote, suoot
Correct pronunciation: sweet /swiːt/

32. Word : epitome (a perfect example of something)
Wrong pronunciation: epitome
Correct pronunciation: ipitami /ɪˈpɪtəmi/

33. Word : meme (modified humorous internet video, etc.)
Wrong pronunciation: meemee
Correct pronunciation: meem /miːm/

34. Word : valet
Wrong pronunciation: valet
Correct pronunciation: valei and valit /ˈvæleɪ/ and /ˈvælɪt/

35. Word : athlete
Wrong pronunciation: athlet
Correct pronunciation: athleet /ˈæθliːt/

36. Word : mischievous
Wrong pronunciation: mischeevius
Correct pronunciation: mischivas /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/

37. Word : party
Wrong pronunciation: paarti
Correct pronunciation: paati (r silent) /ˈpɑːti/

38. Word : serious
Wrong pronunciation: seerius
Correct pronunciation: siarias /ˈsɪəriəs/

39. Word : principal
Wrong pronunciation: prinsipaal, prinspaal
Correct pronunciation: prinsapl /ˈprɪnsəpl/
40. Word : principle
Wrong pronunciation: prinsipil
Correct pronunciation: prinsapl ( the pronunciation for principle and principal is the same)/ˈprɪnsəpl/

“I collect words--they are sweets in the mouth of sound.
- Sally Gardner, “Maggot Moon”