Commonly Mispronounced Words in India: Insights from 2019 and Beyond
In 2019, several English words were commonly mispronounced by Indians, often due to the influence of regional languages and accents. Here are ten words that were frequently cited and the common mistakes associated with them.
Top 10 Mispronunciations in 2019
Vegetable- Often pronounced as vay-ta-bl Chocolate
- Commonly mispronounced as cos-hoo-tay Comfortable
- Frequently said as klah-ri-bul February
- Often pronounced as Feb-rue-er Pronunciation
- Commonly mispronounced as prah-noglob-shun Ask
- Sometimes pronounced as ahz-ke Library
- Often pronounced as lie-bri-ree Often
- Sometimes pronounced without the t as in off-en Cousin
- Occasionally pronounced as cooz-in Mischievous
- Often pronounced as mis-chiv-oos
These mispronunciations can arise from various factors including regional dialects, language interference, and the influence of English usage in India. Understanding and correcting these pronunciation errors can significantly improve communication skills and confidence in using the English language.
Further Insights from Personal Experiences
While the above list captures commonly cited mispronunciations in 2019, my personal interactions with colleagues and friends revealed some additional words where common mispronunciations persist:
Almond- Should be pronounced with the l silent, but practically everyone pronounces it with the l. Birth
- In this word, i is pronounced as u as in curd, but many pronounce it as barth as in The birth of Quantum Mechanics. Draught
- Correct pronunciation is draft, but depending on the speaker, it can be pronounced as draut, drowt, etc. Drawer
- Should be pronounced as draw’ll and dro’ll, and not as dro-yer. Easy
- The sound of ea is a long e as in east and of s is that of z. But people often say iji. Film
- Should be pronounced as it is: film. But people, particularly from Hindi-speaking areas, say filam. Gesture
- Correct pronunciation is jes’cher. But a common mistake in India is to pronounce it as ges’cher. Honest
- Here h is silent, so the pronunciation is onist or onest. But many from southern India say honest. Of
- Should be pronounced as ov, that is the sound of f is that of v. But people here as well as in other non-English speaking countries say of. Pronunciation
- Pronounced as though the spelling is pronounc... Constution
- Correct spelling is constitution, but commonly misspelled as constution. Receipt
- PH in spelling is silent, but often misspelled as recipt. Performance
- Spelled performance, but sometimes misspelled as perpormance.
Tiffin
- Originally spelled tiffin, but often misspelled as tipin.
Conclusion
Addressing these mispronunciations can help improve communication and language skills. By understanding the correct pronunciation and linguistic nuances, individuals can enhance their ability to communicate effectively in English.