New research from Škoda UK has revealed the nation’s most mispronounced words are açaí, segue and charcuterie
The new study, which looked into the words Brits most commonly mispronounce, found a quarter (25 per cent) feel embarrassed when called out on their mispronunciations. The research comes as Škoda reveals how the brand’s name is really pronounced.
Açaí, segue and charcuterie have been crowned Britain's most mispronounced words, as new research reveals millions of adults are too embarrassed to attempt unfamiliar words out loud.
A nationwide study of 2,000 UK adults has found that everyday words including quinoa, gnocchi, Worcestershire, chipotle and gyro continue to trip people up, while even seemingly familiar words such as phenomenon, aesthetic and GIF are regularly pronounced incorrectly
The research also revealed that a whopping 85 per cent of adults have been corrected after mispronouncing a word, leaving a quarter of us (25 per cent) feeling embarrassed when it happens.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, that fear of getting it wrong is impacting our confidence, with almost a quarter (24 per cent) admitting they aren't confident enough to give unfamiliar words a go.
However, not all mispronunciations are accidental. Despite knowing they’re saying certain words incorrectly, more than a quarter (27 per cent) continue to pronounce them the wrong way, while nearly a quarter (23 per cent) admit they continue to do so simply because they find it funny.
Kirsten Stagg, a spokesperson for Škoda, which commissioned the research as part of a campaign to help people discover how the car brand’s name is really pronounced, said:
The study found that 85 per cent of adults believe correct pronunciation is important with almost six in 10 (59 per cent) believing it helps avoid misunderstandings.
More than half (52 per cent) believe pronouncing words correctly shows respect for language, while 38 per cent think it makes them appear more knowledgeable and 34 per cent believe it helps them appear more professional.
However, attitudes vary significantly between generations. More than half (53 per cent) of Gen Z say someone’s pronunciation can affect their opinion of that person, compared with just 24 per cent of Baby Boomers.
Younger generations are also much more likely to point out mistakes. Nearly six in 10 (57 per cent) of Gen Z say they correct family, friends or colleagues when they mispronounce a word, compared with 29 per cent of Baby Boomers.
Among those who prefer to avoid correcting others, the most common reasons were not wanting to embarrass them (39 per cent), worries about appearing rude (35 per cent) and simply not feeling like it’s their place to correct them (33 per cent).
The OnePoll research also found that almost half (47 per cent) of adults believe words should be spelt the way they are pronounced, while 30 per cent credit social media with making them more aware of how words should be said. Stagg added:
Top 20 mispronounced words
1. Açai
Mispronunciation: “Ah-sigh”
Correct Pronunciation: “Ah-sigh-ee"
2. Segue
Mispronunciation: “Seeg” / “seg”
Correct Pronunciation: “Seg-way”
3. Charcuterie
Mispronunciation: “Char-koo-ter-ree" (harsh C)
Correct Pronunciation: “Shar-koo-tuh-ree”
4. Quinoa
Mispronunciation: “Kwin-wa” or “kwin-no-a"
Correct Pronunciation: “Keen-wah”
5. Gnocchi
Mispronunciation: “No-kee”
Correct Pronunciation: “Nyok-kee”
6. Worcestershire
Mispronunciation: “Wor-cester-sheer”
Correct Pronunciation: “Wuss-ter-sher"
7. Chipotle
Mispronunciation: “Chip-oh-tul"
Correct Pronunciation: “Chi-pot-lay”
8. Phenomenon
Mispronunciation: “Phenom-nom-non"
Correct Pronunciation: “Phe-nom-enon
9. Gyro
Mispronunciation: “Gi-ro”
Correct pronunciation: “Yee-roh”(rolled R)
10. Similarly
Mispronunciation: “Si-mi-lee"
Correct Pronunciation: “Sim-i-luh-lee"
11. Hyperbole
Mispronunciation: “Hy-per-bly"
Correct Pronunciation: “Hy-per-bo-lee"
12. Aesthetic
Mispronunciation: “Aesth-tic”
Correct Pronunciation: “Ess-thet-ick"
13. Gif
Mispronunciation: “Jif”
Correct Pronunciation: “G-if”
14. Entrepreneur
Mispronunciation: “On-tre-prener"
Correct Pronunciation: “On-tre-pre-neur"
15. Colonel
Mispronunciation: “Co-lo-nel"
Correct Pronunciation: “Cur-nuhl”
16. Necessarily
Mispronunciation: “Ne-siss-rily"
Correct Pronunciation: “Ness-uh-ser-uhl-ee”
17. Specific
Mispronunciation: “Spe-sthi-fic”
Correct Pronunciation: “Spuh-sif-ick”
18. Espresso
Mispronunciation: “Ex-press-o”
Correct Pronunciation: “Es-press-so”
19. Brewery
Mispronunciation: “Broo-wry”
Correct Pronunciation: “Broo-uh-ree”
20. Squirrel
Mispronunciation: “Skwirl”
Correct Pronunciation: “Skwi-ruhl"