Category Archives: Słownictwo

O No: often | Yes: ofen We have mastered the spelling of this word so well, its spelling influences the pronunciation: DON’T pronounce the [t]! This is an exception to the rule that spelling helps pronunciation. No: ordinance | Yes: ordnance You may have to use ordnance to enforce an ordinance but you should not … Continue reading

M No: masonary | Yes: masonry We have been told that masons are most likely to insert a spare vowel into this word describing their occupation but we know others do, too. Don’t you. No: mawv | Yes: mauve This word has not moved far enough away from French to assume an English pronunciation, [mawv], … Continue reading

K No: Klu Klux Klan | Yes: Ku Klux Klan Well, there is an [l] in the other two, why not the first? Well, that is just the way it is; don’t expect rationality from this organization. L No: lambast | Yes: lambaste Better to lambaste the lamb than to baste him remember, the words … Continue reading

H No: Heineken remover | Yes: Heimlich maneuver (or manoeuvre, Br.) This term is mispronounced many different ways. This is just the funniest one we have heard. This maneuver (manoeuvre) was named for US surgeon Henry Jay Heimlich (1920- ). No: heighth | Yes: height The analogy with “width” misleads many of us in the … Continue reading

F No: Febyuary | Yes: February We don’t like two syllables in succession with an [r] so some of us dump the first one in this word. Most dictionaries now accept the single [r] pronunciation but, if you have an agile tongue, you may want to shoot for the original. No: fedral | Yes: federal … Continue reading

E No: elec’toral | Yes: e’lectoral The accent is on the second, not the third, syllable and there is no [i] in it; not “electorial.” (By the way, the same applies to “mayoral” and “pastoral.”) No: excape | Yes: escape The good news is, if you say “excape,” you’ve mastered the prefix ex- because its … Continue reading

D No: dialate | Yes: dilate The [i] in this word is so long there is time for another vowel but don’t succumb to the temptation. No: diptheria | Yes: diphtheria The ”ph” in this word is pronounced [f], not [p]. No: doggy dog world | Yes: dog-eat-dog world The world is even worse than … Continue reading

C No: Calvary | Yes: cavalry It isn’t clear why we say, ”Mind your Ps and Qs” when we have more difficulty keeping up with our Ls and Rs. Had there been a cavalry in Jesus’ time, perhaps Calvary would not have been so tragic. No: cannidate | Yes: candidate You aren’t being canny to … Continue reading