Mispronunciations That Drive You Nuts

Updated:   Published

Car-dee-ya-zem.

It's car-di-zem. Or dil-ti-ya-zem.

Cardiazem isn't a real thing.

Can I get an amen?!

Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

My nephew's name is, per his parents, spelled with an "ly" at the end, instead of the correct way, with "ley".

I always say to him, "How are you, my little adverb?" (Even though he is now 6'4" tall)

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
No Stars In My Eyes said:
I grew up in eastern Mass. where it was 'tonic'!

Not in our part of eastern MA-- we had soda. I hear they say that in RI, though, so maybe you were in FR/NB area?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
No Stars In My Eyes said:

Local accents in Nashville, for a true Nashvillian have folks pronouncing Murfreesboro as Muhfsbro, and Smithville as Smiville. When I first moved south, sometimes I'd have to ask someone to SPELL something If I couldn't seem to hear/understand what they were saying. 

Medford, part of the greater Boston area, is pronounced "Muff'd" by the locals. Then there's the difference between Chatham ("Chat'm") and Wareham ("Ware-ham"), but these are related to the way they are pronounced in the regional dialects of the parts of England where you would find the originals.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED; Med Surg.
the commercial for the new blood-thinner where you don't have to have freq. blood checks

I hate the way they say "A-fib" in this commercial. Don't know why but it makes my fillings hurt.

Also the commercials where they talk about their "moderate to severe...blah blah blah". Who talks like that???

I digress...

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
GrnTea said:

Not in our part of eastern MA-- we had soda. I hear they say that in RI, though, so maybe you were in FR/NB area?

Somewhere north-ish of Cape Ann, 30+ miles north of Boston and maybe 40 min from NH state line.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

I've heard a person from Medford pronounce it "Mhet-fd".

Up there there is a town called "CON-curd"; down here it is pronounced "Conn-chord".

Agree with your examples of Chat'm and Ware-ham.

Glosster (Gloucester),and Wusster or Wooster (Worchester), Noobree-port (Newburyport),

I once heard a tourist ask how to get to "Ip-sevick" (Ipswich)

Down here Catawba is mistakenly pronounced "Cata-waba".

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
I also miss adverbs. Terribly. Advertising campaigns are partly to blame for this. "Subway. Eat fresh." What is a "fresh"?

This has nothing to do with adverbs…or pronunciation for that matter. There was a Pizza Hut ad a few years are where a little girl looked at a rival's pizza, then looked up at her parents and said "where's the cheese at?" Nails, meet chalkboard.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

When I studied irish in high school I had to study the history of the Irish language and dialects. There are 3 distinct dialects in the country and to converse with a person from another region with a different dialect requires significant concentration and a lot of clarification. My mother learnt a different Irish to me and was unable to help with my homework due to the regional differences.

I believe that is why I am more tolerant of pronunciation differences, as the accent my be on a different syllable, however adding in extra letters is another thing!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Yankee moves South; at work, asks if anybody has a pin (as in safety pin), three coworkers hold out a PEN. Huh?????

Blew my mind!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Primary Care, Progressive Care.
ICURN3020 said:
Alls timers for Alzheimer's

I have a family member that pronounces color as keller. We always tease her about it ?

Also have heard idear for idea, warsh for wash, torlet for toilet.....

I'm sure there's more, I'll have to think about it.

This reminds me of my husband that pronounces breakfast as "brefix" and angina as "AN-gina" like lady parts. UGH. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.
This has nothing to do with adverbs…or pronunciation for that matter. There was a Pizza Hut ad a few years are where a little girl looked at a rival's pizza, then looked up at her parents and said "where's the cheese at?" Nails, meet chalkboard.

At the end of that participle, child. Grrrrr........

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

"Sea-pack" for CPAP.

"Mine-grain" for migraine.

There are many more that I can't think of right now. It's kind of become funny to me though.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion