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千万别读错这十个词
Previously, TechRepublic ran an article about 10 grammar mistakes that make you look stupid. The examples cited involved the misuse of words in written and verbal communications. I’d like to go a step farther here and talk about words that may be used correctly but are pronounced wrong. They also may be much more flagrant examples of stupidity.
A caveat: My ear may be abnormally sensitive to mispronunciations since in college I developed an unnatural affinity for linguistics (can you say “Get a life?”). However, people often make snap decisions about character and intelligence based on their language biases, so it’s something you should be aware of. Here are some of my pet peeves, which you may or may not ever use in your life.
Note: This article originally appeared in our Career Management blog.
#1: Realtor
Many people — I’ve even heard it from people on national TV — pronounce this word REAL-uh-ter. Is this a case of wide-spread dyslexia, transposing the a and the l? It’s REAL-tor. That’s it. You’d think only two syllables would be easier to pronounce, but apparently not.
#2: Nuclear
Do you know how tough it is to be an advocate for the correct pronunciation of this word (NU-clee-er) when the president of the United States pronounces it NU-cu-lar? I don’t buy that it’s a regional thing. Ya’ll is a regional thing; nu-cu-lar is not.
#3: Jewelry
It’s not JOO-la-ree, it’s JOOL-ree. Again with the making things harder by turning a word into three syllables. What’s with that?
#4: Supposedly/supposablyT
he latter is a nonexistent word.
#5: Supposed to/suppose to
I think this one is more a matter of a lazy tongue than of ignorance. It takes an extra beat in there to emphasize the d at the end, but it’s worth it. And never omit the d if you’re using the term in a written communication or people will think you were raised in a hollowed-out tree trunk somewhere.
#6: Used to/use to
Same as above.
#7: Anyway/anyways
There’s no s at the end. I swear. Look it up.
#8: February/Febuary
As much as it galls me, there is an r between the b and the u. When you pronounce the word correctly it should sound like you’re trying to talk with a mouthful of marbles — FEB broo ary.
#9: Recur/reoccur
Though the latter is tempting, it’s not a word. And again, why add another syllable if you don’t need it?
#10: Mischievous/mischievious
I know, I know, it sounds so Basil Rathbone to say MIS cha vous, but that’s the right way. Mis CHEE vee us is more commonly used, but it’s wrong.
And last but not least, my personal all-time pet peeve — the word often. It should be pronounced OFF un, not OFF tun. The t is silent.
Techrepublic.com 曾发表过关于 "十个常见语法错误" 的文章, 涉及到书面以及口头上的词语误用等. 我现在要更进一步, 探讨一些你可能写对了但却读错了的词. 相形之下, 这些会让你显得更加愚不可耐.
注意: 我的耳朵对于错误的发音好像有一种病态的敏感, 因为我在大学时曾对语言学有变态的喜爱. 但要知道人们都习惯于根据自己错误的语言习惯而望文生音, 所以你最好多了解一点. 下面是我最喜爱的一些烦人的词, 有的你可能见过, 有的可能没有.英语沙龙白领社交
#1. Realtor
有很多人把它读成 REAL-uh-ter, 我甚至听到过国家电视台的人也这么读. 难道这个词是个传染病, 让大家都头昏眼花, 把 a 和 l 搞颠倒了? 其实念 REAL-tor 就对了. 或许你觉得只有两个音节更容易发音一些, 但显然不是.
#2. Nuclear
当我们国家的总统也把这个词读作 NU-cu-lar 时, 你知道这有多难去告诉大家这个词的正确读音是 NU-clee-er? 别跟我说这是什么方言, "Ya'll" [译注: "you all" 的一种说法, 常见于南方各州] 是方言, NU-cu-lar 可不能算.
#3. Jewelry
不是 JOO-la-ree, 而是 JOOL-ree. 难道把一个两音节的词变成三个音节不是更难发音了么? 为什么总是总是这样?
#4. Supposedly/supposably
不存在后边那个词.
#5. Supposed to/suppose to
我觉得这个错误不是因为无知, 而是因为为了省事儿而造成的. 虽然得多发一个美少女变身音来加重词尾的 d, 但这很值得. 而且你得记住, 千万不要在书面文字中省略词尾的 d, 否则人们不以为你是从哪个石头缝里蹦出来的才怪.
#6. Used to/use to
同上.
#7: Anyway/anyways
这个词的词尾没有 s. 我发誓, 不信查字典.
#8: February/Febuary
在 b 和 u 之间确实得有个 r. 如果你发音正确的话, 你听起来就应该像含着满嘴的糖豆一样: FEB-broo-ary.
#9: Recur/reoccur
虽然后者更像一个词, 但其实根本没这个词. 而且我又得再说一遍, 为啥总是要多加一个没用的音节呢?
#10: Mischievous/mischievious
我也知道 MIS-cha-vous 的发音听着挺别扭, 好像 巴兹尔·拉思伯恩 (Basil Rathbone) [译注: 英国演员, 曾在银幕上多次出演 夏洛克·福尔摩斯] 一样, 但这确实是正确的读音. 而 Mis-CHEE-vee-us 则是错误的, 尽管更多人这么读.
最后压轴的是我自己的最爱: often. 它的发音应该是 OFF-un, 而不是 OFF-tun, 字母 t 是不发音的. |
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发表于 2008-10-12 09:20:13
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变色卡
发表于 2008-10-12 10:59:39
