Pronunciation

What do you do when someone you know, mispronounces a word? Do you correct him or her immediately or do you just keep quiet? As for myself, I (in most instances) correct them simply because it was pronounced wrongly and they should know the right way of pronouncing it.

However many a times, they often feel offended when the correction is done. My question is, why do you need to be offended? It is all part of learning process. I suppose when the 'corrector' does it in a condescending manner, the corrected's ego is bruised hence the feeling of being offended arises.

The solution is pretty easy. When you hear someone mispronouncing a word, gently pronounce the word correctly. DO NOT make fun of the person and tell the whole world of the small little insignificant boo-boo. If the person gets defensive, GENTLY explain that the word is pronounced in such way. If they are still all angry and defensive, BACK AWAY. There is no point arguing over the silly thing or do what I do. Google to find out the right pronunciation and feel all smug that you are right. At the same time, if you are wrong ADMIT it.

Now for the person who is getting corrected, there is no harm in learning from mistakes. The world doesn't end just because you mispronounced the word(s). Be the better person by saying 'Oh is that how that word is pronounced? Thank you' Just take it as a lesson so you would not be potentially embarrassed when you mispronounce the word in the presence of different groups of people i.e superiors, strangers or worse a person you want to impress! Again, there is no point being all defensive when you are corrected. If you are not satisfied, just turn to our trusted buddy Mr.Google and find out. Be gracious if you are wrong and if you are right, don't gloat. Show the person the reference and guaranteed you both would have a good laugh over it amidst learning something new.

I remember mispronouncing the word rebel which I used in the context as a verb. Although the spelling is the same, the noun is rebel but the verb is pronounced as 'ribel'. The person who corrected me made fun of me in front of my friends and I was very ashamed so that is why I swore I would not make fun of anyone else in the same predicament. I do correct people but I strive to do it in a tactful manner and why I am doing it is to do them a favour and not to appear as some Ms.Know-it-All.I have been told off not to correct them but I gently tell them it is important to speak and pronounce words properly and correctly as communication is an important tool in any kind of relationships. At the same time, I am totally cool to be corrected as I am open to learning however it has be done tactfully for I am a human after all :) OK OK I am plain sensitive.. Hehehe

So dear correctors and corrected, there is enough problems in the world so let's strive to be amicable when a mispronounciation happens! Here's to speaking the language correctly. Cheers!

Image from Google