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Are You Pronouncing These 15 Words Correctly? Find Out!

Even though English is the most widely spoken and dearly loved language in the world, it can often be confusing for even the smartest of people. For instance, many of us, unknowingly, mispronounce quite a few English words. These aren’t even complex or tough words; a lot of us are guilty of mispronouncing even some of the most commonly used English words. Don’t worry, though, for you are not alone. Most English words have roots that go back hundreds of years and the way they are uttered has often changed with times.
Today, we will look at some of the most commonly mispronounced words in English that you should know about. This will certainly help you avoid embarrassing mistakes and will let you articulate them correctly the next time. 

1. Bon Appetit

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Bon Appetit
The pronunciation of this French phrase, which means “I hope you enjoy your food”, can be a little tough for some. 
The pronunciation of “bon appetit” is often confused with the word “bon mot". However, the “bon” in “bon appetit” isn’t the same as the “bon” in “bon mot". The word “appetit” starts with a vowel, and hence the “n” at the end of “bon” is blurred into the “a.” Furthermore, the “t” at the end of “appetit” is silent. Thus, we say it like “bo-nap-e-tea.”

2. Cache 

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Cache 
This often sounds like a fancy French word, but isn't. And most people tend to pronounce it as "cash-ay" or "kay-esh". It is likely that the similar-looking word “cachet” (which means prestige) is the reason which led to this faulty pronunciation. However, 'cache' is pronounced simply as “cash” and refers to a storage or hiding place.

3. Cocoa

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Cocoa
We all know by now that cocoa is the seed of the cacao tree and is used to produce chocolate. But the pronunciation of this word confuses many and it is often pronounced as "koh-koh-wa". The correct way to say it, though, is “koh-koh” because the terminal “a” is silent. So simple, isn’t it?

4. Forte

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Forte
If you’re using “forte” as a musical term, particularly about a composer's note, then you can pronounce it as "for-tay". However, if you are using the word to discuss someone’s strength, you simply say “fort”. The second syllable won’t be needed, then.

5. Gala

gala
The dictionary describes ‘gala’ as a festive occasion, a celebration, or special entertainment. While the word has been around since the 17th century, it is still commonly mispronounced. A majority of us say it as “gal-uh” when it should actually be “gay-luh”.

6. Gauge

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Gauge
To gauge something is to measure the size, dimensions, or other measurable qualities of an objects precisely. The correct pronunciation of this word is “gayj”, just like you pronounce the word 'cage' as "kayj", but it is often mispronounced as “gauj”.

7. Genre 

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Genre 
Genre is a style or category of art, music, or literature. The word’s correct pronunciation is “jhon-ruh”. The “g” is soft, like ‘jh” and the extra stress is on the first syllable, which rhymes with “on.” 

8. GIF 

MISPRONOUNCED Words , GIF 
The word is actually an acronym for a graphics interchange format and a few dictionaries pronounce it with a hard G. The format was developed by Steve Wilhite and he insisted on pronouncing GIF like the peanut butter. However, people continue to pronounce it as “GIF”. “The Oxford English Dictionary accepts both pronunciations,” Wilhite told The New York Times a few years back. “They are wrong. It is a soft 'G,' pronounced 'jif’.”
There you have it then, right from the creator’s mouth. Now you shouldn't have any confusion in pronouncing the word when you are talking about the funny cat GIF you saw the other day.

9. Hyperbole 

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Hyperbole 
This four-syllable word, originally from Greek, means exaggerated statements or claims that are not meant to be taken literally. It is pronounced as “hy-per-ba-lee” and not “hyper-BO-lee” as many often say. The confusion is understandable because of its spelling. But then, English can be quite a strange language at times, right? 

10. Meme 

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Meme 
All of us today enjoy snickering at some funny memes on the Internet. The word was invented by a British scientist as "a unit of cultural transmission" in 1976. While it is an incredibly popular word today, meme is regularly mispronounced as "mee-mee", "may-may", or even "mem". The correct way to say it is “meem”.

11. Monk

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Monk
Monk is often mispronounced as “mawnk”, as we generally tend to stress the “o” in the word first. It should, however, be pronounced as “muhngk” as in drunk or shrunk.

12. Niche

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Niche
The pronunciation for niche, which refers to a specialized place or role, as "neesh" is widely accepted today. The older and more popular way to say it, though, is still "nitch". While there is still plenty of debate on the subjects, one can say that neither pronunciation is wrong. 

13. Porsche

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Porsche
The Porsche is, of course, one of the most famous and fancy cars in the world. Its pronunciation, though, has always puzzled people. While it is often mispronounced as “porsh”, the correct pronunciation is “por-shuh”.

14. Pronunciation 

MISPRONOUNCED Words , Pronunciation 
Isn’t it ironic that the word pronunciation is also listed in an article about mispronounced words? But the truth is that ‘pronunciation’ isn't always pronounced right. This likely happens because people mix up the pronunciation between the actual noun and the verb 'pronounce'. The correct way to say the noun is “pro-nun-see-a-shun”.

15. Regime  

words. regime
The word "regime", which means a type of government, is sometimes confused with ‘regimen’ which refers to a systematic plan. Regime shouldn’t sound like “Ruh-geem” because its first syllable sounds as “ray. Thus, it has to be pronounced as “ray-gime.”
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