Grammar Guides and Goofs: Common Mispronunciations

Ted Baxter from the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" was the KING of Mispronunciation

How many of these words have you been mispronouncing all these years?  

The first three words on the list fall victim to mispronunciation by a vast majority of people speaking the English language. Please pay special attention to these!

Jewelry- Many people pronounce this as if the word was "jewlery", moving the "e" to after the "l" instead of prior to.    To pronounce the word properly, say "jewel" and add "ree" at the end.

Nuclear- Former President George W. Bush is one of the worst offenders of mispronouncing this word.  DO NOT say "nuke-u-lur" as if the word is spelled "nucular".  To pronounce this word properly, say "new-klee-ur"

Realtor- It is extremely common for people to switch the "a" and the "l" and add an extra syllable and pronounce it as "reel-a-tor".  To pronounce this word correctly, say "real" and add "tor" on the end making it a two syllable word, not three.

Runners Up:

Athlete- Say "ATH-leet", NOT "Ath-uh-leet"

Cliché- Say "klee-SHAY", NOT "Kli-SHAY"  The klee rhymes with see.

Clique- Say "Kleek" not ""Klick"  The word should rhyme with seek, not slick.

Comparable- Say "Kahm-pur-uh-buul" NOT "Kuhm-PAIR-a-buul"

Contemplative- Say kun-TEMP-la-tive", NOT "Kahn-tem-PLAY-tive"

Drowned- Say "Drownd", NOT "Drown-ded:  It is a one syllable word.

Et Cetera- Say "ET SET-uh-ruh" NOT "EK SE-truh".  Clearly pronounce the "t" in Et and make sure Cetera has three syllables.