some unforgivable “pronounciations”
Here are some very common errors in pronunciation which even “native” speakers of English make once in a while and we would do well if we do not imitate them, thinking that they are correct.
Asterisk
Please do not read this word for * as Asterix, which is a comic character I used to enjoy reading as a child. The last syllable should be as it is spelt, “risk”.
Collector
This is a three-syllabled word so do not read it as “clector”.
Drawer/drawing
This is a peculiarly British mistake which Singaporeans and probably the rest of the world do not make, unless one is trying to imitate them. It is very common to hear BBC reporters pronouncing drawer as “drawrer” and drawing as “drawring”. Where did the “r” come from?
Eighteen/eighty
Both the brits and the yankees make the mistake of not pronouncing the “t” and mispronouncing the “t” respectively in the above as well as similar words. Certain groups of non-RP speakers in Britain have the tendency to skip the ”t” and render eighteen as “eh-een” and eighty as “eh-ee”. Many other words with t’s in the middle are also butched in a similar way – listen to the chef Jamie Oliver and the comedian Ricky Gervais and you will know what I mean.
As for the Americans, they pronounce eighty as “eh-dee” and twenty as “twen-ee”. Urgh…
February/library
Credit is given to the yankees for always getting words like the above spot-on while it is the brits who love to cut corners by butchering february into “febree” and library as “libree”. There are FOUR syllables in february and THREE syllables in library.
Furore
The updated version of the above word is just that – Furore – and should be pronounced as “few-rawh-ree”. The American version of furor and its subsequent pronunciation as “few-roar” is actually archaic.
Itinerary
This word has FIVE syllables and should be read as such: “eye-ti-nuh-rae-ri” and not “eye-ti-nuh-ri” or “eye-tin-ree”. A common british problem.
Regularly
This is another one that almost always have one of its syllables swallowed by the british, even the more educated ones. Regularly becomes “re-gu-li” or “reg-you-li” when it should be “RE-giu-luh-li”.
Secretary
Singaporeans too make this mistake along with the british. As there are two r’s in the word, please pronounce it as “SE-cruh-tuh-ri” instead of “se-cuh-tree”. The Americans get it right all the time.
Strength
This is a peculiarly british mistake – I have yet to hear a Singaporean make this mistake, unless one is trying to imitate the british even when it is incorrect. Most brits read strength as “stren-th” when it should be “streng-th”. Same with words like length.
Temporary
It is “TEM-puh-RAE-ri” and not “TEM-pree”. Similarly, it is “kuhn-TEM-puh-ruh-ri” (contemporary) and not “kuhn-TEM-pree”. Another british problem.
Whatever
The younger brits and their older cockney counterparts love to butcher this word as “wha’-evuh” when it is “whaT-evuh”. Similarly, water is “wa-tuh” and not “wa’-uh.
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