Phenomenon - This singular form of "phenomena" means an amazing event and is pronounced "fi-NOM-uh-non."ġ6. Sixth - Numbers are among the first things students of second languages learn to pronounce, but adding a "th" after "x" can be tricky for some people new to English.ġ5. Yet just "c" alone can be an "s," "k" or "ch" sound.ġ4. Successful - Here's one of the easiest words on this list for anyone to pronounce, although people unfamiliar with English might be confused by the double c and double “s” since the "cc" has a "k" sound. Ignominious - Articulate speakers who show off vocabulary use this word to describe a person who is dishonorable." It's a five-syllable word that is pronounced "ig-ne-MIN-ee-us."ġ3. They might say "skwörl," when most Americans say "SKWIR-rel."ġ2. Squirrel - German speakers may have problems with this animal word since the "rl" sound is usually coming at the end of a syllable. It's understandably complex for anyone outside of the medical field, as it's pronounced "oh-toh-rye-no-lar-ing-GOL-uh-jee." A more convenient title for this medical position is "ENT."ġ1. Otorhinolaryngologist – Many people can trip over this lengthy word that is used in the medical profession for an ear, nose and throat doctor. It helps if you forget about the "th," which is silent, as the word is pronounced "is-muss."ġ0. Isthmus - If you study geography, you might recognize this two-syllable term as a reference to a tight strip of land between two seas. It's pronounced "ah-NEM-oh-nee." Just ignore the "mone" ending, which looks like it should rhyme with "phone" but doesn't.ĩ. Anemone - From the buttercup family, this wild, colorful plant may look hard to say for any person unfamiliar with gardening. Scissors - While most Americans know how to pronounce this word as "sizz-ers," people who are just learning English might say "skiss-ors." They might think the "s" at the end makes it plural, although it's a singular tool referred to as a pair of scissors.Ĩ. Onomatopoeia - Have you even ever heard of this word, which applies to words that imitate the sound they make? It's actually a six-syllable word and is pronounced "on-o-mot-o-PEE-a." An example of a term that would fit this description is "buzz."ħ. Some people might mispronounce it as "qwin-o-ah," but this Spanish word has multiple pronunciations, such as "KEEN-wah," "ken-WAH" or "KEN-on-ah."Ħ. Quinoa - This super food has gained popularity among health food consumers in recent years, even though it's a grain from the ancient world. Draught - Travelers from outside the United States or the UK might say "drot," but the correct pronunciation of this British word is "draft," which is also what it means, as in cool air or alcoholic beverage from a keg.ĥ. Mischievous - While many Americans say "mis-CHEEV-ee-us," the actual pronunciation is "MIS-chiv-us." The confusion lies in the fact that it's a three-syllable word but appears to have four syllables.Ĥ. It may help to remember that after "wo" the "rce" part of the word is silent and "shire" is pronounced "sher," like in New Hampshire.ģ. So the Worcestershire sauce used as food seasoning is merely named after the region in which it originates. Worcestershire - Americans mispronounce this name since it uses its traditional British-English pronunciation, which is "woo-ster-sher" instead of wor-cest-er-shi-er." The ending "shire" means "county" in Britain. The second "o" is silent, which adds to the confusion.Ģ. Colonel - Derived from Middle French, this pronunciation is "ker-nul." The reason it's a strange word for foreigners is that it lacks an "r," despite using that sound when spoken. 20 Most Difficult Words to Pronounce in the English Languageġ. Here are 20 English words that commonly cause pronunciation problems. That's one of the many reasons to hire translation services that can do the work for you. One of the most problematic aspects of documenting words from audio is deciphering words that may be mispronounced due to being difficult for foreigners and even English-speaking Americans.
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