There was an interesting question in Miss Manners today that I've experienced from time to time. That is, when someone mispronounces a "common word" (or, in my case, a not-so-common word), and it is necessary to repeat the word, what do you do? Do you pronounce it correctly? Or do you mispronounce it to avoid embarrassing the person?
As Bob says, pronounce it properly. However, it is important to bear in mind that what may sound like a mispronounciation to you might be perfectly OK in the speaker's own dialect or sociolect. After all, the English think that the Americans mispronounce most of their words, and, I'm sure, vice versa.
As Bob also says, be careful not to make a deal of it; you might end up with a "tomato: tomahto", "potato: potahto" conversation, which generally gets nowhere and can alienate the speakers.
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
I'm with Bob and arnie on this one: pronounce it the way you do and move on. If they try to "correct" your pronunciation, you can discuss it with them. Otherwise you can both continue on with the real reason you're talking with one another: communication.
Originally posted by zmježd: I'm with Bob and arnie on this one: pronounce it the way you do and move on. If they try to "correct" your pronunciation, you can discuss it with them. Otherwise you can both continue on with the real reason you're talking with one another: communication.
I find that "correct" pronunciation has a lot to do with achieving an intonation that is familiar to the listener, within the individual word and across the sentence. It is good advice to concentrate on intonation rather than an expanded vocabulary if you want to be well understood in another language. After all the more words you mis-pronounce that harder it gets for the listener!
After all the more words you mis-pronounce that harder it gets for the listener!
That's why I put "correct" in scare quotes. If I am speaking with an Briton, it does neither of us any good if I correct his "mis-pronunciation" of aluminum or clerk. I worked with some Czech programmers and a single Slovak one. When they spoke to each other, the Czechs spoke Czech and the Slovak spoke Slovak and they were able to communicate. Of course, the Slovak outnumber could have tried to speak Czech (badly), but he chose not to. If I am speaking with somebody and he "mis-pronounces" often by pronouncing the t, I still know what he's talking about and I can compensate. If I try to correct all regionalisms, etc. I'll just not be communicating at all, except maybe my contempt for how different dialects have an "accent".
That's true sometimes, but not all the time. What I think was meant here is when people do things like put a 't' in when it doesn't belong and that sort of thing. Our editor, for example, always incorrectly pronounces a word by adding a "t" that doesn't belong (I just can't think of that word now!) and clearly it is a mistaken pronunciation.
Often has a silent t, but many people pronounce it any way. Maybe that's what you're thinking of?
Yes, that is what I was alluding to. The version with t pronounced has become so common that I've accepted it as a variant in pronunciation, sort of like the one in pecan or almond in varieties of American English. So, I don't count it as a mispronunciation any more. The language has moved on. There's no chance of ambiguity or confusion. Now if somebody says suede-oh-intellectual, I'd probably correct them, but it does depend on the context and who they are.
Often has a silent t, but many people pronounce it any way. Maybe that's what you're thinking of?
Funny...when I wrote that, I thought that might be someone's example. I consider the of-T-en pronunciation to be acceptable.
I can assure you that you'd agree with me about the word I can't remember. As soon as my colleague (who is our editor) says it again, I'll let you know. There are others, though.
I know it's irrational but whenever I hear someone, especially an English teacher, mispronounce misprununciation as mispronounciation. I want to slap them.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
It really is funny what irritates some people about language and pronunciation "gaffes." My daughter, for example, is a huge stickler with pronunciations, even though I hardly notice what she means. Apparently I stress the "ettes" more than most people do with "cigarettes." While many don't consider "Schadenfreude" 4 syllables (with the "e" on the end), it is a federal offense, in her opinion, if you don't add that syllable. And don't even get her started on how I say "croissant!"
