Home > List of words of disputed pronunciation
The following is a list of words and names which are often pronounced by native speakers of the English language in ways which many others consider to be incorrect. In some cases this is because of disagreement of how to pronounce borrowed foreign words; in others it is a dispute arising from the effect of spelling on a word not pronounced as it is spelled. Many heated arguments are disagreements between the residents of a place and outsiders on how to pronounce the name of a place.
Note: 'AHD' is the American Heritage Dictionary. 'M-W' is the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (American). 'OED' is the Oxford English Dictionary. 'MQD' is the Macquarie Dictionary (Australian).
Note: The pronunciations below are displayed in two formats: in each pair, the first is in International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and the second is in SAMPA, an ASCII encoding for IPA. See International Phonetic Alphabet for English and SAMPA chart for English for information on how to decipher the different phonetic symbols.
1 Native English words
- arctic - (1) [ˈɑɹ.tɪk] ["Ar.tIk], (2) [ˈɑɹk.tɪk] ["Ark.tIk]
The debate is whether or not the cluster is pronounced [kt] or just [t]. M-W lists both, with (1) first, but OED only lists (2). Generally, the same pronunciation for the cluster is used for both arctic and antarctic. However, M-W lists (2) first for antarctic.
- ask - (1) [æsk] [{sk], (2) [ɑsk] [Ask], (3) [æks] [{ks]
(1) is the standard North American pronunciation, and (2) is the standard pronunciation in other English-speaking countries. (3) is common in the U.S. but is often considered substandard. Most dictionaries do not list this pronunciation (3), but M-W does, although it is labeled dialectical.
- controversy - (1) [ˈkɑn.tɹə.ˌvɚ.si] ["kAn.tr@.%v@r.si], (2) [kən.ˈtɹɑ.və.si] [k@n."trA.v@.si]
(1) is listed in all dictionaries. (2), with stress on the second syllable, is listed as an optional British pronunciation, even in American dictionaries like M-W, although notably, (2) is not listed in OED.
- err (1) [ɝ] [3`], (2) [eɪɹ] [eIr] [3]
(1) rhymes with 'her', (2) is homophonous with 'air'. Most American dictionaries list both (1) and (2) although some list (2) before (1). OED and MQD only list (1). At least in the U.S. (2) is heard much more often than (1).
- February - (1) [ˈfɛb.ju.ˌweɪɹ.i] ["fEb.ju.%weIr.i](2) [ˈfɛb.ɹu.ˌweɪɹ.i] ["fEb.ru.%weIr.i]
(1) and (2) are listed in North American dictionaries, and (2) alone in non–North American dictionaries. Strict prescriptivists insist on (2), with both 'r's pronounced. However, (1) is most common and accepted by most. M-W has this comment: "Dissimilation may occur when a word contains two identical or closely related sounds, resulting in the change or loss of one of them. This happens regularly in February, which is more often pronounced (1) than (2), though all of these variants are in frequent use and widely accepted."
- Chinese - [tʃɑɪ.ˈniz] [tSai."niz]
Most dictionaries only list the pronunciation with stress on the second syllable. Some recommend stressing both syllables, a rare exception.
- genealogy (and related words) - (1) [ˌdʒi.ni.ˈæl.ə.dʒi] [%dZi.ni."{.@.dZi]. (2) [ˌdʒi.ni.ˈɑl.ə.dʒi] [%dZi.ni."Al.@.dZi] (1) is the historical pronunciation and reflects the spelling; it is listed by all dictionaries. AHD and M-W list both forms but (2) is listed first by both. In British English, form (2) is regarded as an simple mispronuncation and British dictionaries list only form (1).
- harass - (1) [hə.ˈɹæs] [h@."r{s] (2) [ˈhæɹ.əs] ["h{r.@s]
The debate is whether stress should occur on the first or second syllable. Most dictionaries list both pronunciations. AHD has this usage note: "Educated usage appears to be evenly divided on the pronunciation of harass. In a recent survey 50 percent of the Usage Panel preferred stressing the first syllable, while 50 percent preferred stressing the second. Curiously, the Panelists' comments appear to indicate that each side regards itself as an embattled minority." For British usage, see Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em.
- indict - (1) [ɪn.ˈdaɪt] [In."daIt] (2) [ɪn.ˈdɪkt] [In."dIkt]
(2) is a spelling pronunciation not listed in any major dictionary. (1) is the standard pronunciation.
- lochA loch is the name given to a body of water in Scotland or Ireland. The spelling lough is used in Hiberno-English, although it is an anglicisation of the Irish form of the word, also "loch". The Scottish spelling is retained by many in Northern Ireland, w - (1) [lɔk] [lOk], (2) [lɔx] [lOx]
This Scottish word for lake is pronounced by most English speakers as (1), with a final [k], as the voiceless velar fricative [x] is not normally in the sound inventory of English. Scots, however, and those English speakers who have acquired [x] for words like 'Chanukah' and 'Bach', will pronounce it as (2).
- moresThe term mores (pronounced mor-ayz) as used in Sociology is a plural noun. The Latin singular, which is not used in English, is mos''. The English word morality comes from the same root, as does the noun moral which can mean the 'core meaning of a story'. - (1) [ˈmɔɹ.eɪz] ["mOr.eIz], (2) [mɔɹ.ˈeɪz] [mOr."eIz], (3) [mɔɹz] [mOrz]
Most dictionaries list (1), and some have (2), with stress on the second syllable, as an acceptable alternative. No major dictionary lists (3) as an acceptable pronunciation, and it is considered uneducated usage.
- mortgageIntro A mortgage is a device used to create a lien on real estate by contract. The mortgage is an instrument that the borrower (called the mortgagor) uses to pledge real property to the lender (called the mortgagee) as security for a debt, also called hyp - (1) [ˈmɔɹ.gɪdʒ] ["mOr.gIdZ], (2) [ˈmɔɹt.gɪdʒ] ["mOrt.gIdZ]
The "intrusive" [t] in (2) is a spelling pronuniciation, and is not listed as an acceptable pronunciation in any dictionary. (1) is standard.
- nuclearNuclear means "of or belonging to the nucleus (or center) of something", from Latin for kernel or nut. Which pronunciations of "nuclear" are commonly acceptable is a matter of some debate and amusement; see Nucular for an example. Where the subject is the - pronunciations include [ˈnu.kli.ɚ] ["nu.kli.@`], [ˈnju.kli.ɚ] ["nju.kli.@`], [ˈnu.kjə.lɚ] ["nu.kj@.l@`] -- more at nucularNucular is an intentional misspelling of the word nuclear which is usually intended to express contempt or amusement towards the commonplace noo`kyu-ler pronunciation of that word. This pronunciation is disapproved of by some who consider it a mispronunci
- och, a Scottish cry of affirmation, should be pronunced [ɔx] [Ox], with the velar fricative, like in 'loch'.
- often - (1) [ˈɔ.fən] ["O.f@n], (2) [ˈɔf.tən] ["Of.t@n]. Some dictionaries list (2) as the preferred British pronunciation. Most post-1990 American dictionaries list both pronuncations, but some pre-1990 dictionaries list only (1).
- pianist - (1) [pi.ˈæ.nɪst] [pi."}.nIst] (2) [ˈpi.ə.nɪst] ["pi.@.nIst]
American dictionaries generally list both (1) and (2), with (1) first. OED and MQD only list (2). Some insist on (1), often to make a greater distinction between pianist and penis.
- primer, educational material as in grammar primer [missing pronunciation], pronounced with short i as in 'him' (not long i, as correctly used for a type of paint).
- realtorRealtor is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors and subscribes to its code of ethics. Although the term Realtor is sometimes used interchangebly with real estate agent, i - (1) [ˈɹi(ə)l-tɚ] ["ri(@)l.t@`], (2) [ˈɹi-lə-tɚ] ["ri.l@.t@`]
(1) is the "correct" pronunciation (it is a trademark, and thus how it is to be pronounced can be defined by the trademark holder) (2) is listed in M-W, but it is marked as a disputed or substandard pronunciation.
- temperatureTemperature is the physical property of a system which underlies the common notions of "hot" and "cold"; the material with the higher temperature is said to be hotter. General description The formal properties of temperature are studied in thermodynamics. - (1) [ˈtɛm.pə.ɹə.tjʊɚ] ["tEm.p@.r@.tjU@`], (2) [ˈtɛm.pə.ɹə.tʃɚ] [tEm.p@.r@.tS@`], (3) [ˈtɛm.pɚ.tʃɚ] [tEm.p@`.tS@`], (4) [ˈtɛm.pɹə.tʃɚ] [tEm.pr@.tS@`]
(1) is the pronunciation given by OED. (2) is the pronunciation given by most American dictionaries. (3) and (4) represent common processes of schwa-deletion, and vowel-r metathesis, respectively. All are common and acceptable, although (1) is probably more common in Britain than in the U.S.
- valet - (1) [væ.ˈleɪ] [v{."leI], (2) [ˈvæ.lɪt] ["v{.lIt]
(1) is the pronunciation given in most dictionaries, although OED gives (2) first, probably because of a British tendency to make French words sound less French.
