Difference between revisions 11639164 and 11639190 on enwiki

{{IPA notice}}

The following is a list of words and names which are often pronounced by native speakers of the [[English language]] in ways which many others consider to be incorrect. In some cases, speakers disagree on how to pronounce borrowed foreign words; in other cases, the dispute arises from the effect of spelling on a word not pronounced as it is spelled. Many heated arguments are disagreements between the residents of a place and outsiders on how to pronounce the name of a place. 

(contracted; show full)

== U ==

*'''[[Uranus (planet)|Uranus]]''' - (1) {{IPA|[&#712;j&#650;.&#633;&#601;.n&#601;s]}}  (2) {{IPA|[j&#650;.&#712;&#633;e&#618;.n&#601;s]}}  <br/> Most dictionaries list both (1) and (2). (1) is historically the older pronunciation and reflects the first-syllable stress of the original Latin word. It is the only pronunciation given by K&K, and the first pronunciation given by LPD.
 It is possible that (2) began as a form of taboo avoidance because (1) sounds like the nonexistant adjective ''"[[urine|urinous]]"'', but if so, the [[euphemism]] was hardly successful as (2) can be homophonous with ''your anus''.

== V ==

*'''valet''' - (1) {{IPA|[v&#230;.&#712;le&#618;]}}, (2) {{IPA|[&#712;v&#230;.l&#618;t]}}  <br/>(1) is the more common pronunciation in the U.S., while (2) is preferred in Britain. K&K call (1) "pseudo-French", pointing out that the word has been in English with pronunciation (2) since the mid-[[16th century]].

(contracted; show full)

==See also==
*[[Engrish]]
*[[List of names in English with non-intuitive pronunciations]]
*[[List of place names with unexpected pronunciation]]

[[Category:Lists of English words|Disputed pronunciation, List of words of]]
[[Category:English pronunciation|Disputed pronunciation, List of words of]]