Today, I have learned a lot of "big" words from reading so much, but can actually only pronounce about half of them correctly. FML
Collection
Halloween
A failed costume, stolen candy and a very real scare: Halloween, the one night when fear is allowed.
Today, I found out that I have Dysarthria, a condition where you can't pronounce certain words. I can't even pronounce the condition. FML
Today, while reading out loud in front of my entire class and teacher, I learned that I can't pronounce the word 'success'. It came out as 'sex', and when I tried to correct myself more slowly (multiple times), it came out 'sexsex'. FML
Today, I was reading a picture storybook to a kindergarten kid. She could pronounce more words than me, and corrected me. I'm about triple her age. FML
Today, I learned that I've been saying a word wrong my whole life and all my friends have been too polite to correct me, when I found out that "Segue" and "Segway" are pronounced the same. FML
Today, I went to a fancy restaurant and couldn't pronounce any of the menu items. FML
Today, I found out that I've been pronouncing "quinoa" wrong for years. FML
Today, I have laryngitis and can’t speak at all. I went to make myself some breakfast and my mom kept asking me questions, to which I replied with nods and head shakes. She said, in a condescending voice, that I need to use my “big girl words” and will keep using her “baby voice” until I do so. FML
Today, I've gotten so used to people mispronouncing my last name, even after I correct them a gazillion times, I've lost the motivation to correct anyone on it anymore. At this point I'd probably faint from shock if someone who isn't related to me successfully pronounced it correctly. FML
Today, while not feeling well at work, I had to finish up some papers. I was so out of it, I couldn't remember how to spell my name. I had to improvise by pronouncing each syllable of my name out loud. My boss now thinks I'm a dumbass. FML
Today, I found out the German I've been learning for nearly a month is a dialect only spoken by people in a small area of the country. This means I'll need to re-learn most of what I thought I knew. FML
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Top comments
ActionFearo 39
I wish there was some device to pronounce words for us, maybe an online source of some mysterious origin, Idk. Guess we're out of luck for now.
christiee 10
I think anyone who teaches themselves new words by reading shouldn't be embarrassed by other people's reactions because they can't pronounce them correctly. At least those people are going out there and teaching themselves something new, and heightening your knowledge isn't something anyone should be making fun of.
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Comments (92)
AGuyNamedI 7
1) If you don't know how to pronounce the word, chances are you didn't learn it. Reading a word is not synonymous with learning the word. Almost everyone has heard of quantum mechanics. Almost no one learns it, ergo even less people understand it. 2) People who learn on their own, who are self taught, are called autodidacts (/ˌôtōˈdīˌdakt/ or auto-die-dakt). An autodidact will rarely mispronounce words, because they learned what it meant and how to use it properly. 3) At least you're reading.
CaptnNorway 10
Nah, perhaps OP hasn't English a primary language. There's plenty words I've read about and knew what meant, but I had never heard anyone pronounce them so I didn't know the correct way to say it. Sure, it's usually pretty straight forward, but words like "Queue" and "Unique" is weird. Also when a letter for some reason isn't pronounced, like Sword. Heck, you guys have different intonations than us, and thus I end up pronouncing a lot of words wrong. I can't say if you know what a word means and how it's used, that you know how to pronounce it.
Attacksloth 33
I remember yesterday during one of my seminars, I came across the word "preponderant". I know what it means, but stuttered like mad pronouncing it in front of my students. #literaryproblems
clairedabear 19
I know what you mean. I read a lot and I pronounce long words in my head, so when I use them in real life it frequently comes out wrong.
PokeZilla 9
There are actually YouTubers who make videos dedicated to the pronunciation of words. That could be something to look into OP.
shessovain 7
So you didn't really learn them, you just read them?
BabyrooKid 11
Yes; however, learning new words will eventually exponentially increase your vocabulary conscientiously.
krhoov84 9
I play so many word games that I know all of the 2 letter words and probably around 90% of three letter words, but I have no idea what a lot of them mean. Qi, xi, xu...all I know is they score me lots of points! :)
hannahhlizz 18
I got you OP. I grew up reading more than talking and I am still finding words I thought I pronounced right are totally wrong. My family makes fun of me constantly for it. Good luck!
genericfmluser 17
Introvert nerd problems. You know the word, you know what it means but you've never used it out side of reading or typing so you have no idea how it's pronounced.
Bragi 12
More common than you might think, OP. fortunately for folks like us google now has audible pronunciation aids.