Incorrect pronunciation of words

[Pattylt]

I was in the medical field. I sympathize with anyone trying to pronounce certain diseases or other medical terms. My very favorite was a sweet little old gentleman telling me about his dibities (diabetes). I learned to ask a doctor or co worker when I was a student learning this “new” language how to pronounce things…better than a later red face! Still had a few of those anyway.

 

[AdamP88]

When I was a novice, one brother used to announce the 5th Mystery of Light as the “Institutionalization of the Blessed Eucharist”.

It was very funny, but we had to correct him.

 

[babochka]

Convert3:

The deacon that leads it repeatedly mispronounces two words,

The Deacon (or you) may be from out of town, different places have different pronunciations you know.

I’ve lived here in Pittsburgh my entire life, and when I go out of town I am always amused at the crazy pronunciations that out of towners come up with. I no longer bother correcting people when they mispronounce words like “Washington” and just sit amused if they don’t pronounce it “Warshington”

Pittsurghese is a whole 'nother can of worms…

But there is a difference between differences in dialect and using completely different words with different meanings.

 

[OldCAFMember]

I remember when I was a young kid living on Long Island, NY, I was friends with a neighbor girl when we were about eight or nine. I wasn’t Catholic then and she was. She always insisted “the” was pronounced “thee.” She was my first exposure to a Catholic.

It is when the word following it begin s with a, e, i, or long u. Think The End.

 

[babochka]

My 1st grade teacher, Sister Paul, used to announce that we were going to watch a fil…um. Or something like that. More than 40 years later, I can still hear her Irish accent in my head. Thanks to her, I can still understand the heaviest brogue.

 

[OldCAFMember]

I said I went to the Chaplet each week. not that he mispronounced “bouquet” each week.

Reread your OP. You certainly implied that, even if it was unintended.

 

[midori]

If the word following “the” starts with a vowel sound, it sounds like “thee”. “Thee” elephant. “Thee” abacus. “Thee” ostrich. “Thee” attic.

If the word following “the” starts with a consonant sound, it sounds like “thuh”. “Thuh” battery. “Thuh” bank. “Thuh” house. “Thuh” pencil.

–edit–

Oh, once upon a time, I was reading at daily Mass. I accidentally said, “Flat lambs” instead of “fat lambs”, and I had mental images of all these little paper doll lambs trotting through my brain.

My favorite someone-else-was-reading story was when someone talked about “shivs of wheat” (instead of sheaves), and I have visions of people getting all stabby.

 

[QwertyGirl]

I love when educated people mispronounce words. I don’t know why, but it really tickles me. Therefore, I probably wouldn’t say anything so I could enjoy the humor. However, to be kind, one person may wish to pull him aside and let him know. Certainly not the whole group though. And certainly not in front of the group. Do it in private.

 

[QwertyGirl]

My mother-in-law used to say “dia-rear”. “Does that baby still have dia-rear?”. LOLOL. It is a great memory for me. (not the “dia-rear”, but the way she said it).

 

[Pattylt]

My dh’s Grandmother pronounced the “p” in pneumonia…

 

[midori]

I love when educated people mispronounce words.

A lot of times, it happens because you know a word from reading it— but you don’t really use it in conversation, so you don’t “hear” how it’s supposed to sound.

“Envelope” vs “envelop” and “bouquet” vs “banquet” don’t really fall into that territory— but you get it in a lot of words from other languages— like, is “draught” pronounced “draft” vs “drot”, or trying to pronounce “Hermione” before the movies came out, or is “inchoate” pronounced “in-coat” or “in-chote” or "“in-cowet”.

 

[Allie1]

I would just let it go. I, as an adult can not, for the life of me say the word “rural”. I have no idea why, my tongue just can’t say it. I have an 8 year old who says it just fine.

 

[TheLittleLady]

LOL!

We had a CCD student who would talk about the “Gluminous Mysteries”.

 

[phil19034]

I am wincing here. We have a lector who mispronounces so many words it’s not even funny. One Sunday the reading was about Barnabas from the Acts of the Apostles and she kept saying Barabas for Barnabas.

ehhhhwww… Some mispronunciations are worse than others.

But I give them credit, because I have little desire to be a lector because I fear making a mispronunciation error.

 

[phil19034]

Sometimes correcting another’s mistakes is a public service.

And an act of charity towards to lector.

 

[TheLittleLady]

My favorite mispronunciation is done by my very intelligent adult son.

He pronounces “Hyperbole” as “HYPER bowl”

 

[Convert3]

There are books Lectors can use to help with pronunciations in the readings. They also suggest how to emphasize the reading for more effect. Additionally, there are online audio resources to hear each reading that can help.

 

[Convert3]

Okay, I get it. Picking on my grammar since I’m picking on our deacon’s pronunciation. I deserved it!

 

[phil19034]

They also suggest how to emphasize the reading for more effect

The best way to read it for more effect is to chant it!

After all (as I heard once from a priest), we hear the scriputre reading in mass for 3 reasons (ranked in order)

1. First, as a prayer to God
2. Then, for the benefit of non-Christians around the world so that God’s Word spoken at mass will mystically touch their hearts wherever they are in the parish boundaries
3. Finally, for the Catholics in the pews

God bless

 

[Phemie]

Thinking back, most lectors I have heard pronounce “prophesy” (the verb) as if it were “prophecy” (the noun)

Pet peeve of mine!

But none of us is perfect. I was once reading Isaiah and proclaimed that “A shoot shall come out from the rump (instead of the stump) of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Nobody seemed to notice but the visual hit me during the Consecration and it was all I could do to keep from roaring out loud.

We had a pastor for 3 years who every time he used a preface containing the words “And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven” said “Thrones and Dominations”. It never failed.