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Last time, we gave you a tip sheet on how to properly pronounce important words of people, places, and things. Our list contained examples that regularly get mispronounced. We’re looking at you. Here are some more.
Wrong Right
Kissimmee, Florida KISS-ih-mee kih-SIM-mee
Laos (nation) LAY-ohs Louse
Moscow, Russia MAHS-cow MOHS-koh
Nevada (state) neh-VAH-duh neh-VADD-uh
Niger (nation) NIGH-juhr nih-JERR
Notre Dame (Cathedral in Paris) NOH-ter dame NOH-truh dahm
Thames River (UK) Thames Tems
Toledo, Spain toh-LEE-doh toh-LAY-do
Uruguay YUH-reh-gway UHR-uh-why
Worcestershire (sauce) War-ses-ter-shy-er Wooster-sheer
Yosemite (national park) YOH-seh-MIGHT yoh-SEH-mitee
12. The Year 2009 Two thousand and nine Twenty-oh-nine
*(After all, the following year is twenty-ten, not two thousand and ten. And no one ever said, “July Fourth, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six.”)
Watch this on video: https://youtu.be/bK5GaUocSJA
Next time: Opposites attract.
Items before the Assizes:
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! On the docket:
A reader recently pointed out that a politician used a term the press spelled “whack job.” The reader submits that “whack” refers to striking something, and “wack” is a corrupting of “wacky,” meaning a little off. So it should be spelled “wack job.” That’s what the dictionary says. But wait! The Associated Press stylebook, the bible of the “Horribly Wrong” team, says “whack job” is OK, although it notes it must be limited to quotes.
Readers: "Something Went Horribly Wrong," features samples of bad writing we see nearly every day. You can participate! Be our duly deputized “grammar police:” Your motto: “To protect and correct.” Send in your photos of store signs, street signs, newspaper headlines, tweets, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a grammatical error. It can be just what we call “cowardly writing.” Include your name and home town so we properly can credit you. You're free to add a comment, although we reserve the right to edit or omit. Now get out there! Send to Eliot@eliotkleinberg.com
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NOTE: Eliot and Lou Ann are available for speaking engagements, and can travel. Reach us through the comments section. Just think of all of your employees getting back to work on a Monday, their heads filled with all the ways we’ve shown them to be better communicators!