6 Simple Words You’re Probably Pronouncing Wrong
Updated: Oct. 04, 2018
No, “gyro” is not pronounced like “gyroscope.”
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According to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, if you use it as a verb, then you should emphasize the second syllable, whereas the noun takes the emphasis on the first. Good luck finding someone pedantic enough to call you on it, though!
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Gyro
It may have the same root word as “gyroscope,” but this Greek sandwich deserves a proper Greek pronunciation: “yee-roh.”
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Nuclear
George W. Bush isn’t the only person who has struggled to wrap their tongue around this word. The Canadian Oxford Dictionary lists both “noo-clear” and “nyoo-clear,” but “noo-kyoo-lar” isn’t recognized.
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Quinoa
This trendy South American grain looks like it could be pronounced “kin-oh-ah,” but because it’s derived from Quechuan via Spanish, you should say “keen-wah.”
Regime
Borrowed from la belle langue, this word retains a French pronunciation (“ray-geem,” not “reh-geem”)—at least for the time being.
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Victuals
This dated term for food rhymes with “whittles,” not “rituals.”
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