Worcestershire. I work at a grocery store, and it’s very common for customers to try to ask where the Worcestershire sauce is and give up halfway through. It’s in the ketchup aisle by the steak sauce, btw.
Rural was like the word that came to mind. There’s a joke in the show 30 Rock about trying to say “Rural Juror” (I think it was like a fictitious movie in the show).
I’m from California and I speak fluent Spanish (learned, not native). You might think that’s an advantage but it’s not. Half the cities were named by Mexican / Chicano settlers, and there’s an accepted American (mis)pronunciation of the Spanish name.
Tiburon = “Tib-er-on”
Junipero = “Yoo-nip-er-oh”
A good comparison is Houston street in NYC. Locals call it “house-ton” whereas visitors pronounce it like the city in Texas. Say it wrong and you fail the test.
I have speech issues with r’s and l’s. Had to take speech classes when I was younger. “Wheelchair” is my nemesis. I have to stop and think slowly before saying it.
I worked for a nonprofit for many years. For some reason I always tripped over the word ‘advocacy.’ And it was part of the nonprofits name so I had to stutter through it dozens of times a day when I talked to donors.
Wow, as someone who speaks English as a second language (first language is Spanish)… These answers have really boosted my self esteem today. Heck, they boosted it for the entire year.
My husband still makes fun of me for saying “Jack Pepper cheese” instead of Pepper Jack cheese… So being able to pronounce Rural Juror and Statistics is definitely feeling like a step up.
I read a lot so I think it’s funny when I say a word (that I’ve read a million times) out loud for the first time just to realize I don’t actually know how to actually pronounce it. Sounded right in my head! Lol!
I keep pronouncing “architecture” as “architexture” by accident and i have to make a mental effort to say architecture
As a kid I couldn’t pronounce the word “apocalypse” (nor can I spell it apparently– had to look up the spelling lmfao) I kept saying it as “a-cop-oh-lix”
Comments
Worcestershire
Horror
I’m better at it now, but both cinnamon and synonym have tripped me up from time to time. Cimmanin? Symamym?
Linoleum. Don’t know why. And it will always be caCulator.
Worcestershire. I work at a grocery store, and it’s very common for customers to try to ask where the Worcestershire sauce is and give up halfway through. It’s in the ketchup aisle by the steak sauce, btw.
specific. i can only say “pacific” when i try, which is kinda maybe close
Rural was like the word that came to mind. There’s a joke in the show 30 Rock about trying to say “Rural Juror” (I think it was like a fictitious movie in the show).
Here’s a joke to illustrate:
I angered a witch the other day and she cast a spell that turned me into a sea creature. My friends brushed it off, but she made anemone out of me.
Rural juror
rural. rrrrrrl
Lackadaisical
Editable.
It took me a long time, but after a while I realized that Orange sounds a lot like gullible if you say it slow enough.
Forward, rural, boil – really anything with a lot of r’s or l’s.
Crayon. I call them crowns
Mirror. I pronounce it like “mere”
I’ve also learned from Northeasterners that I pronounce Mary, marry, and merry incorrectly since they all sound the same when I say them.
Antiestablishmentarianism
Esthetician
For me, I can’t say Arnold Palmer. Like, the drink. Something about too many Ls and too many Rs put together.
Twelfth
Social security, comes out awkward, especially if I try to say it fast.
Leicester, a word I definitely can’t even pronounce
Places with Spanish names
I’m from California and I speak fluent Spanish (learned, not native). You might think that’s an advantage but it’s not. Half the cities were named by Mexican / Chicano settlers, and there’s an accepted American (mis)pronunciation of the Spanish name.
Tiburon = “Tib-er-on”
Junipero = “Yoo-nip-er-oh”
A good comparison is Houston street in NYC. Locals call it “house-ton” whereas visitors pronounce it like the city in Texas. Say it wrong and you fail the test.
Jewelry – julry
It’s gotta be those rural breweries for me.
I have speech issues with r’s and l’s. Had to take speech classes when I was younger. “Wheelchair” is my nemesis. I have to stop and think slowly before saying it.
Reciprocity.
statistics
Brewery. Edit – I had to add “stethoscope”.
Because of my accent, water sounds like wuder. I don’t say it that often but it slips through sometimes.
For a funnier example, watch this:
https://youtu.be/Esl_wOQDUeE?si=JEQ6q8zwAyAK2Otm
Sixths
I have a speech impediment…so a lot of them 😂
Whatsdishere Sauce
Unique New York
Irish wristwatch
I worked for a nonprofit for many years. For some reason I always tripped over the word ‘advocacy.’ And it was part of the nonprofits name so I had to stutter through it dozens of times a day when I talked to donors.
Isthmus, anemone
Mortgage
Edited for spelling this word is awful lmao
Wow, as someone who speaks English as a second language (first language is Spanish)… These answers have really boosted my self esteem today. Heck, they boosted it for the entire year.
My husband still makes fun of me for saying “Jack Pepper cheese” instead of Pepper Jack cheese… So being able to pronounce Rural Juror and Statistics is definitely feeling like a step up.
Salicylate
Ombudsman.
asterisk is a classic I have issues with
I read a lot so I think it’s funny when I say a word (that I’ve read a million times) out loud for the first time just to realize I don’t actually know how to actually pronounce it. Sounded right in my head! Lol!
“Regularly”
I have to break into syllables to get it out.
Drawer. I cannot for the life of me get that -er out after the w.
Vehemently
Esthetician. For some reason, I always end up saying Anesthetist.
I’m a lawyer and I struggle with “statue” because I’m so used to saying “statute.”
It’s a science term but “phthalate.” Those syllables just don’t exist in any other work that I’ve heard
Breasts
I hate the ‘sts’ at the end who decided that should be a thing?
Peculiarly! My tongue just can’t figure it out and I’m almost 30 😂
I keep pronouncing “architecture” as “architexture” by accident and i have to make a mental effort to say architecture
As a kid I couldn’t pronounce the word “apocalypse” (nor can I spell it apparently– had to look up the spelling lmfao) I kept saying it as “a-cop-oh-lix”
Recently I had to call the eye doctor about getting an Ophthalmological Exam
Yeah, I said it…
“Ophthalmological“
(I bet right now you are sounding it out)
Sorry seems to be the hardest word.
Asks. The k and the s next to each other kill me
Please say Irish wristwatch 5x out loud and report back
(I only say do it 5x becos a lot of folk can say it once and think they’re all good… heheh)
Aurora, aesthetic, esthetician
Folk
Unionized