How Is That Word Pronounced?

Paul V. Hartman

   Word:        Correct:         How it looks like it might be said:
   ----------   ----------       -------------------------------------

   aisle           I'll            ace-el; eyes-sel
   Antigua         Anne-TEE-ga     Anne-TEEG-waah   
   avoirdupois     ah-ver-da-PWA   av-whar-DO-pwa
   benign          ba-9            ben-ig-en; ben-eye-n
   buffet          buff-ay         (In England: buff-it)
   buoy            boo-ee          (In England: BOY)
   Celtic          kell-tik        Seltic (which is correct in Boston)      
   Chile           chilly          (In Chile: CHEE-le, not CHEE-lay)
   chimera         ky-MEER-a       shimmer-ah
   ciao            chow            si-ay-oh; sia-ow
   clandestine     clan-DES-tin    clan-da-Stine
   clothes         close           cloths
   colonel         KER-nul         ka-lon-el
   consummate      kon-SUM-it      if used as an adjective
   consummate      KON-sum-mate    if used as a verb          
   coupon          KOO-pon         QUE-pon (Fr:"colpon"-"piece cut off")   
   creme brulee    krem brew-lay   kreem brew-lay; kreem brew-lee
   creme de menthe krem da mont    kreem da ment; kreem da mint
   debonaire       deb-on AIR      de-boner; de-bone-air
   denoument       day-new-MAHN    da-now-ment
   de rigueur      du-ree-GUR      day-roo-gair
   diaspora        die-ASP-pora    dia-spora
   epitome         e-PIT-a-me      epa-tome
   forecastle      FOLK-sill       four CASTLE 
   fracas          FRAY-kus        FRAK-us
   gunwale         gunnel          gun-whale
   herb            urb             hurb
   Hiroshima       ha-ROSH-ama*    hero-SHE-ma  (*In Japan: hi-RAWSH-mah)
   haute couture   oat ko-TOUR     hote kot-chur
   hors d'oeuvres  oar derves      whores da ovaries
   impramatur      impra-MAH-tur   im-prim-a-tor
   kudos           KOO-dahs        koo-doze (BTW: the word is singular)
   La Jolla        La HOY-ya       La jawl-la
   leeward         lou-word *      lee ward     (* in England: "lord")
   lieutenant      loo-tenant      (in England - "left-tenant")
   marquis         mar-kwis        mar-key is the roof above a box office.
   matte           mat             mat-TAY   
   naive           nigh-eve        navy; nigh-vee; nive; nave
   neologism       nee-AWL-a-gism  nee-oh-LOGE-ism
   otiose          oh-she-OWES     oh-tee-ose  ("indolent"; "at leisure")
   philippic       fie-LIP-ick     phila-pick; phila-peck
   Pierre          peer            pee-yair (capital of South Dakota)
   plaid           plad            played
   potpourri       POE purr-ee     pot pour-ee; pot pouree
   prix fixe       pre FIX         pricks fix; pricks fix-ay
   risible         riz-a-bul       rise-a-bul 
   ribald          ribbled         (rhymes with scribbled)
   sacerdotal      sas-her-dotel   sak-her-dotel
   seraglio        sa-RAL-yoo      sa-rag-lee-oh   (a harem)
   salmon          sam-mon         sall-man
   suave           swaav           swave
   synecdoche      sin-EK-da-key   syn-ec-DOKE-ey; sin-ek-doshe
   Tijuana         tee-WANNA       (three syllables, not four)
   Uranus          urine-us        your anus  (body fluid, not body part)

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