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Avoid the Most Common
Pronounciation Mistakes
by Susan Berkley
Pronouncing words incorrectly can make you sound uneducated and less intelligent than you really are.
Here is my list of the Top Nine- excerpted from my book Speak To Influence: How To Unlock The Hidden Power Of Your Voice available at your favorite bookseller
1. Get the "l" in there!
Do you say "awready" and "awright" instead of "aLready" and "aLLright"??
2. "D" and "T" are not interchangeable
Do you say "qualiDY" instead of "qualiTy"? Or "diTn't" for "diDn't"?
3. The murderous switcheroo
Substituting AXE for ASK. Think about it: "I will AXE him if he wants to come." With an invitation like that, he will probably decline.
4. The "R" versus "OUR syndrome
"OUR" (as in "our house") is pronounced the same as "hour"- not like the letter "r".
5. Probable cause
Do you shorten "PROBABLY" to "PROBLY" or "PROLLY?" Listen to yourself carefully.
5. "l" and "E" confusion
Many Americans make "E" and "I" interchangeable when they speak. For instance, "Do you have a pIn or a pIncil I can write with?"
7. It's about them!
Do you say "thUm" instead of "thEm"? You're not alone, but try to avoid it.
8. "Fur" Free!
Do you substitute "FUR" for "FOR"? When calling someone to the phone, do you say "It's FUR you?" Keep the FUR on the animals, where it belongs!
9. Getting the JIST of it
The word is "jUst" not "jIst." Try to remember "justice."
From The VoiceCoach Newsletter by Susan Berkley. Reprinted with permission. Copyright 2008 All Rights reserved.
Susan Berkley is the author of Speak To Influence:How To Unlock The Hidden Power of Your Voice. available from your favorite bookseller. For a free subscription to The Voice Coach Newsletter visit www.speaktoinfluence.com.
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