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12 Commonly Mispronounced English Words

12 Commonly Mispronounced English Words

Accent Reduction Tips /

12 Commonly Mispronounced English Words I’ve worked with a variety of accents from countries around the world. Throughout my time as a speech and language pathologist, I’ve noticed a few commonly mispronounced English words across accents. Let’s review and learn how to correctly pronounce them. Answer – Although there is a ‘w’ in the spelling, we do not pronounce it. We say it as anser.  Ex: “The answer to the question was not obvious.” An – This word is sometimes mispronounced as “on” or “un” but should be pronounced just like saying the letter ‘n’. Ex: “She took an airplane to New York.” Chicago – Most of the time, ‘ch’ is pronounced as a hard, percussive sound as in “chair” and “chew”, but in the word ‘Chicago’, the ‘ch’ should be pronounced as the ‘sh’ in “shoe” and “she”. Ex: “Chicago is an exciting city.” Clothes – Although this word has ‘th’ in it, most of the time it is pronounced without the ‘th’ and sounds like the verb “close”, as in, “Please close the door.” Would – The ‘l’ in this word is always silent and is pronounced exactly like the word “wood”. Ex: “I would like to take your course.” Half – This word is always pronounced with a silent ‘l’ as if it were spelled as ‘haf’. Ex: “I can eat half of this pizza.” Once – Pronounce this word as if it starts with a ‘w’, similar to how the word “wants” is pronounced. Ex: “I have only been to Italy once.” Or, “I swim once a week.” Debt – This word is pronounced with a silent ‘b’ as if it were spelled, “det”. Ex: “He is in so much debt”. Salmon – The ‘l’ should not be pronounced in this word. Think of it as “sammin”. Ex: “I enjoy eating salmon for dinner.” Colonel – This is one of the strangest words to pronounce as it doesn’t sound at all like it is spelled. Say it as “kernel”. Ex: “He is a colonel in the Army.” Receipt – The ‘p’ is totally silent in this word. It sounds like ‘re-seat’. Ex: “The salesperson handed me a receipt when I paid for my groceries.” Women – The ‘o’ should be pronounced as the ‘i’ in the word “in” and the ‘en’ ending is pronounced as “in”. It could be thought of as “wimmin”. Ex: “All of the women film directors received awards.” Do you struggle to pronounce these words or others like them? You aren’t alone. Contact me today to learn about my Accent Modification program. By the end of the 13-week program, most students see a 50% improvement in reducing their accents and being better understood by their peers. Learn more about the program here!  About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you! Previous PostNext Post

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learn about Heteronyms

Heteronyms

Accent Reduction /

Heteronyms Have you ever heard of heteronyms? Perhaps not by name, but we use them all of the time. Heteronyms are actually words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when pronounced differently. Sometimes the meanings are completely different, whereas other times they have somewhat related meanings. They can confuse people who are learning English as a second language because of these reasons. A Few Examples of Heteronyms Let’s look at the word “estimate”. Pronounced as EStimit, it is used as a noun, as in, “We need to get an estimate of what the costs will be.” Pronounced as Estimate, it is used as a verb, as in “Let’s estimate the time it will take to build the house.” Another example is in the word “produce”. Said as “PROduce”, it is a noun meaning fresh fruits and vegetables, as in “Let’s buy some fresh produce at the supermarket.” Pronounced as “pruhDUCE”, it is a verb which means to bring into existence, as in, “The company will produce a new model car next year.” There are a surprising number of heteronyms in the English language. This is a good website to help you discover more of these heteronyms and how to pronounce them. A few common examples are: Desert Excuse Number Object Perfect Present Subject Wind Confusing the meaning and pronunciation of this word can lead to misunderstanding among your peers. It’s important to recognize the different meanings of words to have coherent conversations in your workplace and among your peers. Are you still confused about heteronyms? Don’t worry – it takes a lot of practice to identify heteronyms when you’re learning the English language. I’m here to help! In my Accent Modification program, I’ll create a customized individual learning program for you based on the analysis of your speech. The customized program designed for you will address voice projection, grammar, intonation issues, and Standard American English pronunciation. Learn more about the program here. If you have any questions, reach out to me! I’d be happy to help. About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444 I look forward to hearing from you! Previous PostNext Post

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A Simple Two-Letter Word: To

A Simple Two-Letter Word “To”

Accent Reduction Tips /

A Simple Two-Letter Word “To” Amazingly enough, how you pronounce the commonly used, simple two-letter word “to” can make a big difference in your speech. When pronounced by itself, not in a sentence, the ‘o’ sounds like ‘oo’. But when we speak in conversational, connected speech, the word “to” often becomes very de-emphasized and sounds more like “tuh”. For example, in the sentence, “I went to the store to buy chips to take to the party,” try saying it by pronouncing the word ”to” as “too” the first time through. Then on the second time, pronounce the “to” as “tuh” and see which sounds more natural. Most speakers of Standard American English use the second pronunciation “tuh” more frequently. Why are people interested in reducing their accents? Most of my clients come from all different parts of the world and can already speak English fluently. With a strong accent, clients find they are embarrassed or can’t communicate as effectively as they want. They feel this is holding them back in terms of getting a job, having better social relationships, or getting a promotion at work. They want to learn to communicate as clearly as possible in a listener-friendly way. About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you! Previous PostNext Post

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“What’s Wrong With Having An Accent?”

“What’s Wrong With Having An Accent?”

Accent Reduction /

“What’s Wrong With Having An Accent?” I’ve heard many people say, “What’s wrong with having an accent? I like to hear different accents and don’t want to hear everyone speaking the same.” My answer to that is this: Each person has a unique way of speaking, no matter where they learned to speak. For example, I’m from California, and to people living in New York, I have an accent. People speaking English as their second language, having been raised in a country outside of the U.S., may have a very recognizable accent when they speak English. This accent is part of who they are and represents their cultural heritage. However, reducing or modifying the accent can be extremely beneficial under the following circumstances: When an accent stands in the way of being understood When it causes embarrassment and self-consciousness to the speaker When people are not listening as much to what is being said, and paying more attention to how it’s being said When it creates an obstacle to securing a desired job or promotion at work. Accent modification is especially beneficial for professionals in the medical, educational, business, law, and performer fields. Accents can have a strong impact on the workplace. Voice and accent tutors are needed to help employees be better understood by their peers, clients, patients, and employers. Do employers ever cover the cost of Accent Reduction training? Many companies will cover the cost of Accent Reduction training for their employees to improve their communication skills, especially when they have to deal with people on the phone, making presentations, or dealing with people in person. You should check with your supervisor and/or HR Manager to see if your company offers any type of reimbursement programs or if you can obtain a stipend to cover your costs for Accent Reduction training. About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you! Previous PostNext Post

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