WordGarden.iomispronunciation
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /mɪsprənˌʌnsɪˈeɪʃən/
US
Meanings
Noun
an incorrect pronunciation of a word or name
Beyond the definition
We all stumble over words sometimes! A mispronunciation happens when you do not say a word in its accepted standard way. Maybe you swap sounds, add an extra syllable, or put the stress on the wrong part. It is more than a simple slip of the tongue. It usually means the usual way of saying the word did not come out correctly. Think of someone confidently saying "expresso" instead of "espresso" - that is a classic mispronunciation. Sometimes these errors are funny, while other times they can be awkward or even cause confusion, especially when someone is learning a new language, where mistakes like this are a natural part of the process.
Mispronunciation refers to the incorrect or inaccurate pronunciation of a word. It signifies a deviation from the accepted standard way a word is spoken within a particular language or dialect. While everyone makes occasional errors in speech due to fatigue or haste, a mispronunciation often implies a lack of familiarity with a word's phonetic structure or a consistent pattern of saying something wrongly.
The context matters greatly when discussing mispronunciation. What is considered "incorrect" can be a sensitive topic, as it often overlaps with regional accents and dialects. For example, the way someone pronounces "herb" (with or without the "h") is regionally determined rather than a mistake. Therefore, a true mispronunciation is usually defined as an error that violates the rules of the speaker's own dialect or the standard dictionary definition.
These errors can arise from several sources: not knowing a written word and guessing how it sounds, influence from a speaker's first language, or difficulty with certain sound combinations. Interestingly, if a mispronunciation becomes common enough among a large group of people, it can eventually help push a change in the language itself, although that usually takes generations. Most of the time, however, it is simply seen as a speech error. Whether it is a news anchor stumbling over a complex foreign name or a student working through a new vocabulary list, mispronunciation is a reminder of the rich complexity of human speech.
Examples
- 1
Word stress
The most common mispronunciation of the word puts the stress on the second syllable.
- Patternput stress on + syllable
say that part of a word more strongly
- 2
Place names
A small mispronunciation can make a familiar place name hard to recognize.
- 3
Apology
He apologized for the mispronunciation and repeated her name more carefully.
- 4
Classroom practice
The teacher wrote down several common mispronunciations for the class to practice.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Language background
In the interview, one slight mispronunciation was the only sign that she had learned English later in life.
See also
Similar
- incorrect pronunciation
- faulty pronunciation
- bad pronunciation
Shades of meaning
- misarticulation
- mangling
Contrast
- correct pronunciation
- accent
Used with (collocations)
- a common mispronunciation
- mispronunciation of a word
- correct a mispronunciation
- deliberate mispronunciation
Word family
Explore
- phonetics
- pronunciation error
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- mispronunciationnoun
Forms
- mispronunciationspluralnoun