Americans speak English, but we have adapted it to our own special brand of “American English,” and our accents, combined with cultural differences and dialects, have led to us mispronouncing quite a few words. Mispronouncing words can be embarrassing, and sometimes people will laugh if you get a word totally wrong, and while we don’t mind a joke at our own expense, this is not something we want to happen at work, or a professional setting. Let’s take a look at 21 common words Americans often get wrong.
Meme
This one will make you laugh, especially if you’re from a younger generation. It’s hard to believe, but some older generations often mispronounce this word as “me-me.” But if you’re Gen Z or a Millennial, you will already know that this internet staple is correctly pronounced “meem.”
February
Dropping the first ‘r' to say “FEB-yoo-air-ee” is incorrect. The right way to say it is “FEB-roo-air-ee,” pronouncing both ‘r's. This one is actually a bit of a mouthful, and you may have just realized that you’ve been mispronouncing this word your entire life. It’s ok, though, you’re not alone.
Cache
Anthing with an ‘e’ at the end can trick people into thinking that they need to approach a word with a their best French accent, but the tech term cache is pronounced “cash,” not “cash-ay.” Dropping the ‘e' sound is key to not sounding like you are a Parisian in America.
Library
A common mistake a lot of Americans make is to say “lie-BERRY when it should be “LIE-brer-ee,” with both ‘r's clearly pronounced.
Niche
While some people are misled by the ‘e’ at the end again and say “nich-aay,” most Americans commonly pronounce this word as “nitch,” when the more globally accepted pronunciation is “neesh.”
Acai
Acai berries are known to be bursting with antioxidants and health benefits, but this trendy berry is often mispronounced. The correct way is “ah-sigh-EE,” not “ah-kai” or “ah-kay.”
Wifi
If you’ve ever heard someone say, “Can I get your “wee-fee” password,” I’m sure it’s been difficult not to laugh out loud at them as it does sound kind of funny. Although some of us regularly call wifi “wee-fee,” the generally accepted pronunciation is “whyyy-fhyyy”.
Mischievous
This word catches a lot of people out, and many add an extra syllable, pronouncing it as “mis-CHEE-vee-us,” but the correct way is “MIS-chuh-vus,” which only has three syllables.
Nuclear
Often mispronounced as “NOOK-yoo-lur,” the correct pronunciation is “NEW-clear.” This word frequently trips people up, even well-educated, high-profile individuals, so don’t worry if you’re one of them.
Tomato
We’ve all heard the joke, “Tomato, tomaaaatoeee, potato, potaaatooe,” and it pokes a little fun at how Americans pronounce tomato. Yes, it’s true that most of us say “tomaaate-o,” when it’s generally pronounced globally as “to-mat-oe.”
Gyro
Gyro is a kind of Greek dish that is pronounced “YEE-roh” or “ZHEE-roh,” depending on the regional dialect, rather than “JAI-roh.”
Worcestershire
This one is tricky, and honestly, nearly all Americans struggle to pronounce this word. Instead of “wor-ses-ter-shy-er,” it's simply “WOOS-ter-sheer.”
Aluminium
If you are American, I will bet you anything that you pronounce this word as “al-lum-in-num,” well, I’m sorry to break it to you, but the rest of the English-speaking world pronounces this word as “al-you-min-i-um.”
Salmon
If you want to sound sophisticated the next time you are ordering salmon at a posh restaurant, avoid pronouncing the ‘l'—the correct way is “SAM-in,” not “SAL-mon.”
Forte
Here we are with the misleading ‘e’ again. This word is used to refer to someone's strength or talent, and it's pronounced “fort,” not “for-tay”. The latter pronunciation refers to a musical term and is something completely different.
Sherbet
Who doesn't like some strawberry sherbet? A common mistake in the US when pronouncing this word is to say “sher-BERT,” adding an extra ‘r' when the proper pronunciation is “SHER-bit.”
Quinoa
A health food favorite, quinoa is definitely an acquired taste. While most people in the US pronounce this word as “kee-NO-ah,” it is correctly pronounced “KEEN-wah.”
Epitome
This is a tricky word to pronounce for sure, and many people mistakenly say “epi-tome,” but the accurate pronunciation is “eh-PIT-oh-mee.”
Espresso
The entire world knows how much Americans love expresso, but are we pronouncing it correctly? People in the US commonly mispronounce expresso as “ex-PRESS-oh,” when the correct pronunciation is actually “es-PRES-oh,” without the ‘x' sound.
Often
While it’s tempting to pronounce the ‘t' in the word often, the correct pronunciation is “OFF-en,” and this aligns with similar words like “soften,” where the ‘t' is silent.
Hyperbole
If you don’t know what this word means, you’re not alone, as it is quite an unusual one. Hyperbole is used to describe a deliberate exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally; for example, if you said, “I’m so hungry, I could eat an elephant,” this is a hyperbole because you don’t mean you will actually eat an elephant. Many people mispronounce this word as it isn’t said how it looks, and it’s not “hyper-bowl” but “hy-PER-buh-lee,” emphasizing the second syllable and adding an accent on the last ‘e.'
How to Avoid Mispronunciations
Understanding why these words are often mispronounced can help you avoid similar mistakes. Factors like regional accents, dialects, exposure to written language over spoken language, and social influences all contribute to these common errors. Here are some helpful tips:
1. Listen to Native Speakers: Pay attention to how native speakers pronounce words, especially in media and conversations.
2. Use Pronunciation Guides: Online dictionaries, Google, and language tools often have audio pronunciations. Use these to learn the correct sounds.
3. Practice Regularly: Practice saying difficult words out loud until you feel comfortable with them.
4. Ask for Feedback: Don't hesitate to ask friends or colleagues to correct your pronunciation.
Perfecting your pronunciation not only enhances your communication skills but also boosts your confidence in both personal and professional settings. So, take note of these tips and resources to polish up your verbal skills and impress others with your articulate speech.
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