It’s sometimes easy to forget that there’s a whole world out there. People get so caught up in their lives with work, family, kids, and friends that they forget just how different the planet is. Each country has its own culture, heritage, history, and story. Even the countries that appear similar on the surface, like America and Canada, are vastly different. A significant difference that is easy to miss is how people say certain words. Words like “tomatoes” and “bagel” are famous in specific regions and spoken drastically differently. Everyday words that everyone uses have different pronunciations in other parts all over the world. Despite the spelling, certain words sound different all over the globe. In some cases, it’s a slightly different pronunciation of a word that gives it a significantly different sound. Other cultures emphasize different syllables to give certain words a different sound. With that in mind, let’s examine the most fascinating words and the various ways to pronounce them. 29 Words People Say Differently Around the World
- Tomatoes
The 1937 film Shall We Dance featured the song “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off.” The tune revolved around the differences between British and American English. While the music includes numerous examples, the most famous is the difference in the word “tomato.” Most Americans pronounce the little round vegetable as “tuh-may-toes.” However, the British and those from New England call it a “tuh-mah-toe.” It’s one of the most famous and debated pronunciations. 2. Bagel
Bagels are a staple of early morning breakfasts around the world. Major restaurant chains and little coffee shops offer the freshest bagels on the East Coast in cities like New York. In most places, the locals pronounce bagels as “bay-gull.” However, Midwesterners famously pronounce it “bah-gull.” 3. Mayonnaise AVLexis/YouTube No sandwich is complete without mayonnaise. However, the most important question isn’t how much mayonnaise but how you pronounce it. One of the only times the North and South agree is on the pronunciation of mayonnaise, which they call “man-aze.” Out in the Midwest and West, they call it “may-uh-naze.” Either way, it’s the missing condiment on every great sandwich. 4. New Orleans
Everyone agrees that New Orleans is one of America’s best tourist and party cities. The only thing they can’t agree on is how to pronounce the name of the city. Some long-time residents say “New Or-Leans,” while a smaller group adds an extra syllable and pronounces it “New Or-Lee-Uhns.” One of the other most common pronunciations is “New Oar-lins.” 5. Route
Even an ordinary word like “route” has two distinct pronunciations. Those from the Midwest usually rhyme “route” with “out.” However, in the Northeast, they often rhyme it with “hoot.” Of course, there’s also the group that uses both versions of the word “route.” 6. Et Cetera
While some words have two different pronunciations, et cetera takes it to the next level with four different ways to say the word. For instance, the most common way to pronounce it is “e(ts)etera.” There are three other variations, which are “e(ts)etra, “eketera,” and “eksetra.” 7. Garage There’s no wrong way to say “garage” unless you’re Moe Szylak from The Simpsons. While Moe calls it a “car hole,” others call it a garage. There are two popular ways to pronounce garage. Some people go with the classic “gah-redge” and others choose the popular “ga-rah-ge.” 8. Laboratory SDictionary/YouTube It might be a surprise, but Americans and the British speak the same language. The main difference lies in the spelling and pronunciation of certain words. A great example is the word “Laboratory.” American English emphasizes the first syllable, making it “lab-uh-ruh-tor-ee.” British English places emphasis on the second syllable. Therefore, the British pronounce it as “luh-bor-uh-tree.” 9. Iron
Across America, cities try many things to be different than the rest. One example is the way most Americans pronounce “iron” as “eye-urn.” Not Pittsburgh. This city has a reputation for doing things its own way. Instead of pronouncing “iron” with two syllables, they mash it up into one, making it “arhn.” 10. Caramel
University of Cambridge professor Beart Vaux conducted a linguistics survey at Harvard called the Harvard Dialect Survey. The survey discovered that people living on the East Coast tend to pronounce “caramel” with three syllables, such as “car-a-mel.” However, those in the Midwest or West Coast call it “car-ml,” using two syllables. No matter if you call it “car-ml” or “car-a-mel,” it’s delicious one way or the other.
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- Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada is undoubtedly one of the top tourist attractions in the world. However, nobody takes the pronunciation of their state more seriously than those from Nevada. The correct pronunciation that locals use is “Nev-ad-a,” with the “a” taking on a more “add’ like sound. Tourists and East Coasters usually mispronounce the state calling it “Nev-ah-da,” with the “a” sounding more like “odd.” In this case, it’s better to go with the residents than the tourists. 12. Vase French Pronunciation Guide/YouTube Vase is one of those words you can pronounce in multiple ways. Vase is easily one of the most complex words in the English language. The British have two different ways of saying Vase. The most common version is “vahz,” with an “oz” sound. However, they also use “vawz.” In the United States, most people call it a “vayz” rhyming with haze. At the same time, “vays,” with a lace sound, is the other standard version of the word. 13. Oregon
It’s common for residents and tourists to pronounce a state’s name differently. Locals in Oregon say the state’s name differently than those outside the state. Tourists and out-of-towners tend to call it “Or-a-gone.” However, the correct pronunciation is “Or-a-gun.” Most residents take offense to the mispronunciations. It’s safe to assume the locals know better than people living in another state or country. 14. Salmon
Salmon is a tricky word for people new to the English language. In some cultures, such as Italian and Spanish, they pronounce the “L” in “salmon.” They stress the “L” when saying the word in English, even though it barely makes a sound with the correct pronunciation. It’s one of the most confusing words to say in the English Dictionary partly because of the spelling. 15. Florida
The state of Florida is famously the home of the iconic Disney World. It’s also the state of many pronunciations. In Northeastern and Southern states, they pronounce the sunshine state as “Flaw-ri-da,” “Flah-ri-da,” and “Flow-ri-da.” However, most Florida residents and a majority of Americans call it “Florida,” with the first syllable rhyming with “sore.” 16. Almond
Immigrants from all over the world moved to the United States, bringing their cultures, traditions, and languages with them. They also brought their love of almonds. There are many ways to eat almonds, including raw, roasted, and in a chocolate bar. There are also different ways to pronounce the word as well. Some pronounce it “al-mond,” while others say it “ahl-mend.” Another common version of the word is “am-end.” There really is no way to go wrong with an almond. 17. Caribbean
There truly is no place better to vacation than the Caribbean. Most people and locals call the area the”Ka’Rib-ee-in.” It’s the perfect place to catch some rays as long as you can pronounce its name. Another common way to say the island paradise is “kar-i-bee-in.” Both are acceptable, meaing there’s no way to go wrong with the Caribbean. 18. Pecan
When it comes to nuts, pecan might be the nuttiest with the number of different pronunciations. According to the Washington Post, the National Pecan Shellers Association found that certain areas pronounce “pecan” differently. Within those regions, the locals all had various ways of pronouncing pecan. Despite these local dialects, there are officially two main ways of saying pecan. 70% of the North East and 45% of the South call it a “pee-can,” while the majority of other people call the little nut a “puh-kahn.” 19. Adult
There’s no one way to be an adult anymore. Some people get married and have two children with a white picket fence. Other adults stay single, living in a sweet condo with a dog or cat. It turns out that there’s no one way to say adult, either. Some people pronounce it “uh-dult,” while others say the classic “add-ult.” It’s one of those words that can never be wrong. 20. Lawyer
Anyone that’s seen an episode of Criminal Minds or a true crime series knows that suspects always ask for a lawyer. They often pronounce “lawyer” differently depending on the region they grew up in. In the South, they often ask for a “lawyer,” emphasizing the first syllable with a “saw” sound. However, in most parts of the world, they pronounce “lawyer,” with the first syllable having more of a “boy” sound.
See more about - 40 People And Their Famous Last Words
- Aunt
Everyone always loves their fun aunt. A fun aunt is a good friend, a trustworthy babysitter, and a supplier of alcohol. Aunt is one of those words that sounds drastically different depending on the region. Certain areas, such as Boston, pronounce “aunt” with a “daunt” sound. However, most people pronounce “aunt” like its homonym, “ant.” 22. Coyote
Coyotes are fascinating animals that strike fear into the hearts of their prey. Unsurprisingly, this ferocious animal has two pronunciations of its name. On the East Coast, most people refer to a coyote as a “ki-o-tee.” Out in the West and in places like Colorado, they pronounce it as a “ki-ote.” 23. Envelope Julien Miquel/YouTube Everyone uses an envelope at some point in their lives, but they all call it something different. With its origins in the French word, some people pronounce envelope with the first syllable having an “awn” sound. The most common usage pronounces the first syllable sounding similar to “pen.” 24. Bit
Even tiny words like “bit” can wreak havoc when it comes to pronunciation. Most people say “bit” like the word “sit.” In certain parts of America, such as Colorado, they pronounce “bit” like “bet.” This makes the word “bet” sounds more like “bat.” 25. Crayon Oh My Genius – Nursery Rhymes And Kids Songs/YouTube Life would be pretty dull without crayons. They add a little color to every child and adult’s day. But there seems to be some confusion about the word “crayon.” Every part of the world has its own way of saying “crayon.” Some people call it a “cray-ahn,” like the word “man.” The other common word usage is “cray-awn” similar to “awn.” Crayola attempted to clear up the confusion and claimed the correct way is “cray-awn.” At the same time, “cray-ahn” isn’t considered wrong either. 26. Mirror
Everyone looks in the mirror once a day. Some people even admire themselves multiple times a day, just like the spelling of the word. There are several different ways to say “mirror.” Most people on the East Coast pronounce “mirror” the same way they spell it. However, in certain parts of the United States, they drop the “or” when saying “mirror.” Thus, it sounds more like “mere.” It’s easily one of the most famous words with different pronunciations. 27. Pajamas
There’s nothing better than those lazy Sundays sitting around in your pajamas and watching TV all day. Various parts of America pronounce “pajamas” differently, but the result is always the same. In the South, they usually pronounce the “a” in “pajamas” like the “a” in father. Back out in the West and Midwest, they pronounce the “a” more like “jam.” Regardless of the pronunciation, pajamas always ends in comfort and maybe a nap. 28. Oil
Oil is another one of those words that might be short but can cause a lot of chaos. There are two main ways of pronouncing the three-letter word, First of all, it’s common to hear “oil” with one syllable or two, as in “oi-ull.” However, Southerners often pronounce “oil” as “all.” 29. Picture
Everyone always wants the best picture with the ideal lighting and perfect clothing. Some words have different sounds depending on the region. Picture is one word that has a different pronunciation around the globe. Many people say “picture” without the “k,” sounding like “pick-ture.” It’s also common for people to drop the “k” and pronounce it as “pitcher.” Both pronunciations are correct, as many people across the country and around the globe have different pronunciations.
See more about - 22 Old Fashioned Words We Need To Bring Back
It’s sometimes easy to forget that there’s a whole world out there. People get so caught up in their lives with work, family, kids, and friends that they forget just how different the planet is. Each country has its own culture, heritage, history, and story. Even the countries that appear similar on the surface, like America and Canada, are vastly different. A significant difference that is easy to miss is how people say certain words. Words like “tomatoes” and “bagel” are famous in specific regions and spoken drastically differently. Everyday words that everyone uses have different pronunciations in other parts all over the world. Despite the spelling, certain words sound different all over the globe. In some cases, it’s a slightly different pronunciation of a word that gives it a significantly different sound. Other cultures emphasize different syllables to give certain words a different sound. With that in mind, let’s examine the most fascinating words and the various ways to pronounce them. 29 Words People Say Differently Around the World
- Tomatoes
The 1937 film Shall We Dance featured the song “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off.” The tune revolved around the differences between British and American English. While the music includes numerous examples, the most famous is the difference in the word “tomato.” Most Americans pronounce the little round vegetable as “tuh-may-toes.” However, the British and those from New England call it a “tuh-mah-toe.” It’s one of the most famous and debated pronunciations. 2. Bagel
Bagels are a staple of early morning breakfasts around the world. Major restaurant chains and little coffee shops offer the freshest bagels on the East Coast in cities like New York. In most places, the locals pronounce bagels as “bay-gull.” However, Midwesterners famously pronounce it “bah-gull.” 3. Mayonnaise AVLexis/YouTube No sandwich is complete without mayonnaise. However, the most important question isn’t how much mayonnaise but how you pronounce it. One of the only times the North and South agree is on the pronunciation of mayonnaise, which they call “man-aze.” Out in the Midwest and West, they call it “may-uh-naze.” Either way, it’s the missing condiment on every great sandwich. 4. New Orleans
Everyone agrees that New Orleans is one of America’s best tourist and party cities. The only thing they can’t agree on is how to pronounce the name of the city. Some long-time residents say “New Or-Leans,” while a smaller group adds an extra syllable and pronounces it “New Or-Lee-Uhns.” One of the other most common pronunciations is “New Oar-lins.” 5. Route
Even an ordinary word like “route” has two distinct pronunciations. Those from the Midwest usually rhyme “route” with “out.” However, in the Northeast, they often rhyme it with “hoot.” Of course, there’s also the group that uses both versions of the word “route.” 6. Et Cetera
While some words have two different pronunciations, et cetera takes it to the next level with four different ways to say the word. For instance, the most common way to pronounce it is “e(ts)etera.” There are three other variations, which are “e(ts)etra, “eketera,” and “eksetra.” 7. Garage There’s no wrong way to say “garage” unless you’re Moe Szylak from The Simpsons. While Moe calls it a “car hole,” others call it a garage. There are two popular ways to pronounce garage. Some people go with the classic “gah-redge” and others choose the popular “ga-rah-ge.” 8. Laboratory SDictionary/YouTube It might be a surprise, but Americans and the British speak the same language. The main difference lies in the spelling and pronunciation of certain words. A great example is the word “Laboratory.” American English emphasizes the first syllable, making it “lab-uh-ruh-tor-ee.” British English places emphasis on the second syllable. Therefore, the British pronounce it as “luh-bor-uh-tree.” 9. Iron
Across America, cities try many things to be different than the rest. One example is the way most Americans pronounce “iron” as “eye-urn.” Not Pittsburgh. This city has a reputation for doing things its own way. Instead of pronouncing “iron” with two syllables, they mash it up into one, making it “arhn.” 10. Caramel
University of Cambridge professor Beart Vaux conducted a linguistics survey at Harvard called the Harvard Dialect Survey. The survey discovered that people living on the East Coast tend to pronounce “caramel” with three syllables, such as “car-a-mel.” However, those in the Midwest or West Coast call it “car-ml,” using two syllables. No matter if you call it “car-ml” or “car-a-mel,” it’s delicious one way or the other.
See more about - The 7 Best Language Learning Apps And Services To Try In 2022
- Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada is undoubtedly one of the top tourist attractions in the world. However, nobody takes the pronunciation of their state more seriously than those from Nevada. The correct pronunciation that locals use is “Nev-ad-a,” with the “a” taking on a more “add’ like sound. Tourists and East Coasters usually mispronounce the state calling it “Nev-ah-da,” with the “a” sounding more like “odd.” In this case, it’s better to go with the residents than the tourists. 12. Vase French Pronunciation Guide/YouTube Vase is one of those words you can pronounce in multiple ways. Vase is easily one of the most complex words in the English language. The British have two different ways of saying Vase. The most common version is “vahz,” with an “oz” sound. However, they also use “vawz.” In the United States, most people call it a “vayz” rhyming with haze. At the same time, “vays,” with a lace sound, is the other standard version of the word. 13. Oregon
It’s common for residents and tourists to pronounce a state’s name differently. Locals in Oregon say the state’s name differently than those outside the state. Tourists and out-of-towners tend to call it “Or-a-gone.” However, the correct pronunciation is “Or-a-gun.” Most residents take offense to the mispronunciations. It’s safe to assume the locals know better than people living in another state or country. 14. Salmon
Salmon is a tricky word for people new to the English language. In some cultures, such as Italian and Spanish, they pronounce the “L” in “salmon.” They stress the “L” when saying the word in English, even though it barely makes a sound with the correct pronunciation. It’s one of the most confusing words to say in the English Dictionary partly because of the spelling. 15. Florida
The state of Florida is famously the home of the iconic Disney World. It’s also the state of many pronunciations. In Northeastern and Southern states, they pronounce the sunshine state as “Flaw-ri-da,” “Flah-ri-da,” and “Flow-ri-da.” However, most Florida residents and a majority of Americans call it “Florida,” with the first syllable rhyming with “sore.” 16. Almond
Immigrants from all over the world moved to the United States, bringing their cultures, traditions, and languages with them. They also brought their love of almonds. There are many ways to eat almonds, including raw, roasted, and in a chocolate bar. There are also different ways to pronounce the word as well. Some pronounce it “al-mond,” while others say it “ahl-mend.” Another common version of the word is “am-end.” There really is no way to go wrong with an almond. 17. Caribbean
There truly is no place better to vacation than the Caribbean. Most people and locals call the area the”Ka’Rib-ee-in.” It’s the perfect place to catch some rays as long as you can pronounce its name. Another common way to say the island paradise is “kar-i-bee-in.” Both are acceptable, meaing there’s no way to go wrong with the Caribbean. 18. Pecan
When it comes to nuts, pecan might be the nuttiest with the number of different pronunciations. According to the Washington Post, the National Pecan Shellers Association found that certain areas pronounce “pecan” differently. Within those regions, the locals all had various ways of pronouncing pecan. Despite these local dialects, there are officially two main ways of saying pecan. 70% of the North East and 45% of the South call it a “pee-can,” while the majority of other people call the little nut a “puh-kahn.” 19. Adult
There’s no one way to be an adult anymore. Some people get married and have two children with a white picket fence. Other adults stay single, living in a sweet condo with a dog or cat. It turns out that there’s no one way to say adult, either. Some people pronounce it “uh-dult,” while others say the classic “add-ult.” It’s one of those words that can never be wrong. 20. Lawyer
Anyone that’s seen an episode of Criminal Minds or a true crime series knows that suspects always ask for a lawyer. They often pronounce “lawyer” differently depending on the region they grew up in. In the South, they often ask for a “lawyer,” emphasizing the first syllable with a “saw” sound. However, in most parts of the world, they pronounce “lawyer,” with the first syllable having more of a “boy” sound.
See more about - 40 People And Their Famous Last Words
- Aunt
Everyone always loves their fun aunt. A fun aunt is a good friend, a trustworthy babysitter, and a supplier of alcohol. Aunt is one of those words that sounds drastically different depending on the region. Certain areas, such as Boston, pronounce “aunt” with a “daunt” sound. However, most people pronounce “aunt” like its homonym, “ant.” 22. Coyote
Coyotes are fascinating animals that strike fear into the hearts of their prey. Unsurprisingly, this ferocious animal has two pronunciations of its name. On the East Coast, most people refer to a coyote as a “ki-o-tee.” Out in the West and in places like Colorado, they pronounce it as a “ki-ote.” 23. Envelope Julien Miquel/YouTube Everyone uses an envelope at some point in their lives, but they all call it something different. With its origins in the French word, some people pronounce envelope with the first syllable having an “awn” sound. The most common usage pronounces the first syllable sounding similar to “pen.” 24. Bit
Even tiny words like “bit” can wreak havoc when it comes to pronunciation. Most people say “bit” like the word “sit.” In certain parts of America, such as Colorado, they pronounce “bit” like “bet.” This makes the word “bet” sounds more like “bat.” 25. Crayon Oh My Genius – Nursery Rhymes And Kids Songs/YouTube Life would be pretty dull without crayons. They add a little color to every child and adult’s day. But there seems to be some confusion about the word “crayon.” Every part of the world has its own way of saying “crayon.” Some people call it a “cray-ahn,” like the word “man.” The other common word usage is “cray-awn” similar to “awn.” Crayola attempted to clear up the confusion and claimed the correct way is “cray-awn.” At the same time, “cray-ahn” isn’t considered wrong either. 26. Mirror
Everyone looks in the mirror once a day. Some people even admire themselves multiple times a day, just like the spelling of the word. There are several different ways to say “mirror.” Most people on the East Coast pronounce “mirror” the same way they spell it. However, in certain parts of the United States, they drop the “or” when saying “mirror.” Thus, it sounds more like “mere.” It’s easily one of the most famous words with different pronunciations. 27. Pajamas
There’s nothing better than those lazy Sundays sitting around in your pajamas and watching TV all day. Various parts of America pronounce “pajamas” differently, but the result is always the same. In the South, they usually pronounce the “a” in “pajamas” like the “a” in father. Back out in the West and Midwest, they pronounce the “a” more like “jam.” Regardless of the pronunciation, pajamas always ends in comfort and maybe a nap. 28. Oil
Oil is another one of those words that might be short but can cause a lot of chaos. There are two main ways of pronouncing the three-letter word, First of all, it’s common to hear “oil” with one syllable or two, as in “oi-ull.” However, Southerners often pronounce “oil” as “all.” 29. Picture
Everyone always wants the best picture with the ideal lighting and perfect clothing. Some words have different sounds depending on the region. Picture is one word that has a different pronunciation around the globe. Many people say “picture” without the “k,” sounding like “pick-ture.” It’s also common for people to drop the “k” and pronounce it as “pitcher.” Both pronunciations are correct, as many people across the country and around the globe have different pronunciations.
See more about - 22 Old Fashioned Words We Need To Bring Back
It’s sometimes easy to forget that there’s a whole world out there. People get so caught up in their lives with work, family, kids, and friends that they forget just how different the planet is. Each country has its own culture, heritage, history, and story. Even the countries that appear similar on the surface, like America and Canada, are vastly different.
A significant difference that is easy to miss is how people say certain words. Words like “tomatoes” and “bagel” are famous in specific regions and spoken drastically differently. Everyday words that everyone uses have different pronunciations in other parts all over the world.
Despite the spelling, certain words sound different all over the globe. In some cases, it’s a slightly different pronunciation of a word that gives it a significantly different sound. Other cultures emphasize different syllables to give certain words a different sound. With that in mind, let’s examine the most fascinating words and the various ways to pronounce them.
29 Words People Say Differently Around the World
1. Tomatoes
The 1937 film Shall We Dance featured the song “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off.” The tune revolved around the differences between British and American English. While the music includes numerous examples, the most famous is the difference in the word “tomato.”
Most Americans pronounce the little round vegetable as “tuh-may-toes.” However, the British and those from New England call it a “tuh-mah-toe.” It’s one of the most famous and debated pronunciations.
2. Bagel
Bagels are a staple of early morning breakfasts around the world. Major restaurant chains and little coffee shops offer the freshest bagels on the East Coast in cities like New York.
In most places, the locals pronounce bagels as “bay-gull.” However, Midwesterners famously pronounce it “bah-gull.”
3. Mayonnaise
AVLexis/YouTube
No sandwich is complete without mayonnaise. However, the most important question isn’t how much mayonnaise but how you pronounce it.
One of the only times the North and South agree is on the pronunciation of mayonnaise, which they call “man-aze.” Out in the Midwest and West, they call it “may-uh-naze.” Either way, it’s the missing condiment on every great sandwich.
4. New Orleans
Everyone agrees that New Orleans is one of America’s best tourist and party cities. The only thing they can’t agree on is how to pronounce the name of the city.
Some long-time residents say “New Or-Leans,” while a smaller group adds an extra syllable and pronounces it “New Or-Lee-Uhns.” One of the other most common pronunciations is “New Oar-lins.”
5. Route
Even an ordinary word like “route” has two distinct pronunciations. Those from the Midwest usually rhyme “route” with “out.” However, in the Northeast, they often rhyme it with “hoot.” Of course, there’s also the group that uses both versions of the word “route.”
6. Et Cetera
While some words have two different pronunciations, et cetera takes it to the next level with four different ways to say the word. For instance, the most common way to pronounce it is “e(ts)etera.” There are three other variations, which are “e(ts)etra, “eketera,” and “eksetra.”
7. Garage
There’s no wrong way to say “garage” unless you’re Moe Szylak from The Simpsons. While Moe calls it a “car hole,” others call it a garage. There are two popular ways to pronounce garage. Some people go with the classic “gah-redge” and others choose the popular “ga-rah-ge.”
8. Laboratory
SDictionary/YouTube
It might be a surprise, but Americans and the British speak the same language. The main difference lies in the spelling and pronunciation of certain words. A great example is the word “Laboratory.”
American English emphasizes the first syllable, making it “lab-uh-ruh-tor-ee.” British English places emphasis on the second syllable. Therefore, the British pronounce it as “luh-bor-uh-tree.”
9. Iron
Across America, cities try many things to be different than the rest. One example is the way most Americans pronounce “iron” as “eye-urn.” Not Pittsburgh. This city has a reputation for doing things its own way. Instead of pronouncing “iron” with two syllables, they mash it up into one, making it “arhn.”
10. Caramel
University of Cambridge professor Beart Vaux conducted a linguistics survey at Harvard called the Harvard Dialect Survey. The survey discovered that people living on the East Coast tend to pronounce “caramel” with three syllables, such as “car-a-mel.” However, those in the Midwest or West Coast call it “car-ml,” using two syllables. No matter if you call it “car-ml” or “car-a-mel,” it’s delicious one way or the other.
See more about - The 7 Best Language Learning Apps And Services To Try In 2022
11. Nevada
See more about - The 7 Best Language Learning Apps And Services To Try In 2022
Las Vegas, Nevada is undoubtedly one of the top tourist attractions in the world. However, nobody takes the pronunciation of their state more seriously than those from Nevada.
The correct pronunciation that locals use is “Nev-ad-a,” with the “a” taking on a more “add’ like sound. Tourists and East Coasters usually mispronounce the state calling it “Nev-ah-da,” with the “a” sounding more like “odd.” In this case, it’s better to go with the residents than the tourists.
12. Vase
French Pronunciation Guide/YouTube
Vase is one of those words you can pronounce in multiple ways. Vase is easily one of the most complex words in the English language. The British have two different ways of saying Vase. The most common version is “vahz,” with an “oz” sound. However, they also use “vawz.”
In the United States, most people call it a “vayz” rhyming with haze. At the same time, “vays,” with a lace sound, is the other standard version of the word.
13. Oregon
It’s common for residents and tourists to pronounce a state’s name differently. Locals in Oregon say the state’s name differently than those outside the state. Tourists and out-of-towners tend to call it “Or-a-gone.” However, the correct pronunciation is “Or-a-gun.”
Most residents take offense to the mispronunciations. It’s safe to assume the locals know better than people living in another state or country.
14. Salmon
Salmon is a tricky word for people new to the English language. In some cultures, such as Italian and Spanish, they pronounce the “L” in “salmon.” They stress the “L” when saying the word in English, even though it barely makes a sound with the correct pronunciation. It’s one of the most confusing words to say in the English Dictionary partly because of the spelling.
15. Florida
The state of Florida is famously the home of the iconic Disney World. It’s also the state of many pronunciations. In Northeastern and Southern states, they pronounce the sunshine state as “Flaw-ri-da,” “Flah-ri-da,” and “Flow-ri-da.” However, most Florida residents and a majority of Americans call it “Florida,” with the first syllable rhyming with “sore.”
16. Almond
Immigrants from all over the world moved to the United States, bringing their cultures, traditions, and languages with them. They also brought their love of almonds. There are many ways to eat almonds, including raw, roasted, and in a chocolate bar.
There are also different ways to pronounce the word as well. Some pronounce it “al-mond,” while others say it “ahl-mend.” Another common version of the word is “am-end.” There really is no way to go wrong with an almond.
17. Caribbean
There truly is no place better to vacation than the Caribbean. Most people and locals call the area the”Ka’Rib-ee-in.” It’s the perfect place to catch some rays as long as you can pronounce its name. Another common way to say the island paradise is “kar-i-bee-in.” Both are acceptable, meaing there’s no way to go wrong with the Caribbean.
18. Pecan
When it comes to nuts, pecan might be the nuttiest with the number of different pronunciations. According to the Washington Post, the National Pecan Shellers Association found that certain areas pronounce “pecan” differently. Within those regions, the locals all had various ways of pronouncing pecan. Despite these local dialects, there are officially two main ways of saying pecan. 70% of the North East and 45% of the South call it a “pee-can,” while the majority of other people call the little nut a “puh-kahn.”
19. Adult
There’s no one way to be an adult anymore. Some people get married and have two children with a white picket fence. Other adults stay single, living in a sweet condo with a dog or cat. It turns out that there’s no one way to say adult, either.
Some people pronounce it “uh-dult,” while others say the classic “add-ult.” It’s one of those words that can never be wrong.
20. Lawyer
Anyone that’s seen an episode of Criminal Minds or a true crime series knows that suspects always ask for a lawyer. They often pronounce “lawyer” differently depending on the region they grew up in.
In the South, they often ask for a “lawyer,” emphasizing the first syllable with a “saw” sound. However, in most parts of the world, they pronounce “lawyer,” with the first syllable having more of a “boy” sound.
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21. Aunt
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Everyone always loves their fun aunt. A fun aunt is a good friend, a trustworthy babysitter, and a supplier of alcohol. Aunt is one of those words that sounds drastically different depending on the region.
Certain areas, such as Boston, pronounce “aunt” with a “daunt” sound. However, most people pronounce “aunt” like its homonym, “ant.”
22. Coyote
Coyotes are fascinating animals that strike fear into the hearts of their prey. Unsurprisingly, this ferocious animal has two pronunciations of its name.
On the East Coast, most people refer to a coyote as a “ki-o-tee.” Out in the West and in places like Colorado, they pronounce it as a “ki-ote.”
23. Envelope
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Everyone uses an envelope at some point in their lives, but they all call it something different. With its origins in the French word, some people pronounce envelope with the first syllable having an “awn” sound. The most common usage pronounces the first syllable sounding similar to “pen.”
24. Bit
Even tiny words like “bit” can wreak havoc when it comes to pronunciation. Most people say “bit” like the word “sit.” In certain parts of America, such as Colorado, they pronounce “bit” like “bet.” This makes the word “bet” sounds more like “bat.”
25. Crayon
Oh My Genius – Nursery Rhymes And Kids Songs/YouTube
Life would be pretty dull without crayons. They add a little color to every child and adult’s day. But there seems to be some confusion about the word “crayon.” Every part of the world has its own way of saying “crayon.” Some people call it a “cray-ahn,” like the word “man.” The other common word usage is “cray-awn” similar to “awn.”
Crayola attempted to clear up the confusion and claimed the correct way is “cray-awn.” At the same time, “cray-ahn” isn’t considered wrong either.
26. Mirror
Everyone looks in the mirror once a day. Some people even admire themselves multiple times a day, just like the spelling of the word. There are several different ways to say “mirror.”
Most people on the East Coast pronounce “mirror” the same way they spell it. However, in certain parts of the United States, they drop the “or” when saying “mirror.” Thus, it sounds more like “mere.” It’s easily one of the most famous words with different pronunciations.
27. Pajamas
There’s nothing better than those lazy Sundays sitting around in your pajamas and watching TV all day. Various parts of America pronounce “pajamas” differently, but the result is always the same.
In the South, they usually pronounce the “a” in “pajamas” like the “a” in father. Back out in the West and Midwest, they pronounce the “a” more like “jam.” Regardless of the pronunciation, pajamas always ends in comfort and maybe a nap.
28. Oil
Oil is another one of those words that might be short but can cause a lot of chaos. There are two main ways of pronouncing the three-letter word, First of all, it’s common to hear “oil” with one syllable or two, as in “oi-ull.” However, Southerners often pronounce “oil” as “all.”
29. Picture
Everyone always wants the best picture with the ideal lighting and perfect clothing. Some words have different sounds depending on the region. Picture is one word that has a different pronunciation around the globe.
Many people say “picture” without the “k,” sounding like “pick-ture.” It’s also common for people to drop the “k” and pronounce it as “pitcher.” Both pronunciations are correct, as many people across the country and around the globe have different pronunciations.
See more about - 22 Old Fashioned Words We Need To Bring Back
See more about - 22 Old Fashioned Words We Need To Bring Back
