It’s true that reading improves your vocabulary, but whether it’s a graphic novel or a weighty textbook, your reading material likely doesn’t include a pronunciation guide. Book lovers often come across words they’ve never heard spoken aloud before which leads them to create a pronunciation in their head.
Sometimes you’ll luck out, and the word will make sense phonetically. But sometimes you won’t even recognize the word when you finally hear it in conversation. Have you come across any of these tricky words in your reading?
Anathema
“Any prowling maniac would have had more than his work cut out if he had accosted Anathema Device. She was a witch, after all.” — Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
"Anathema" is a noun that means someone or something that is hated. If you watched the new TV version of Good Omens, you’ll know how to pronounce the witch Anathema’s name. But if you’re a fan of the book, it might be tricky. While it’s tempting to say “a-na-THEEM-uh,” it’s actually pronounced “uh-NA-thuh-muh.”
Pedagogy
“No pedagogy which is truly liberating can remain distant from the oppressed by treating them as unfortunates and by presenting for their emulation models from among the oppressors.” — Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire
The use of this educational word is likely limited to the classroom, but we would all benefit from learning how to pronounce it. You might read this word (which refers to the theory and method of teaching) and emphasize the “GOG” but the correct pronunciation is “PED-uh-goh-jee” with a soft “g” at the end. Still not convinced on this tricky pronunciation? Just use “teaching” instead.
Quixotic
“He believed in himself, believed in his quixotic ambition, letting the failures of the previous day disappear as each new day dawned.” — The Kings and Queens of Roam by Daniel Wallace
This eponym exists thanks to Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. The eternally optimistic and impulsive Don Quixote pronounces his Spanish name as “kee-HOH-tay,” but the English word is pronounced “quick-SOT-ik.”
Haughty
“I know a discontented gentleman
Whose humble means match not his haughty spirit.”
— The Life and Death of King Richard III by William Shakespeare
"Haughty" may not be a long word, but half of its letters are silent, making its pronunciation tricky. It’s also a word you don’t hear much in modern conversation. There are other words people choose in its place — "arrogant," "condescending," "self-important" — with easier pronunciations. But if you want to be Shakespearean, give “HOT-ee” a try.
Hors d’oeuvres
“You won’t believe how many different incorrect ways she spelled hors d’oeuvres within the span of a single paragraph.” — Illuminate by Aimee Agresti
"Hors d’oeuvres" is perhaps one of the most confusingly spelled and pronounced words for English speakers. You might not even recognize the French words if you’re just reading it, but you’ll likely hear it at a happy hour or wedding reception. Repeat after us: “awr-DURV.”
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