Commonly mispronounced words

[Urbane Guerrilla]

For us it evoked (c. 1970) less queerness, save in an older sense, than crazy scatterbrainedness with the thoughts in the head zipping about randomly. And there was the nuts connection, too.

[BigV]

remuneration versus renumeration. Drives me crazy. I most frequently hear renumeration, in the context of money / payment. Wrong.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by BigV

remuneration versus renumeration. Drives me crazy. I most frequently hear renumeration, in the context of money / payment. Wrong.

I don't think I have ever used the word renumeration in conversation - but I did think it meant payment. The Cellar has proved itself worth visiting yet again!

[BigV]

Please let me be clear: in the context of payment the proper word is reMUNeration. Your post (I hope, I think) is saying you have been subjected to the same wrong usage.

[monster]

is renumeration a word?

remuneration relates to payment for service

renumeration would be recounting something, but you can't stick "re" in front of every verb.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by BigV

Please let me be clear: in the context of payment the proper word is reMUNeration. Your post (I hope, I think) is saying you have been subjected to the same wrong usage.

Aye. And it's pure luck that I haven't made this mistake myself.

[BigV]

"perogative"

People. It's prerogative despite what Britney Spears says.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by BigV

"perogative"

People. It's prerogative despite what Britney Spears says.

Google says;
perogative: 352,000 hits
prerogative: 6,440,000 hits

I'm impressed with the ratio of folks that got it right. I would both spell and pronounce it wrong. But then again, it's not a word I use. It is a word typically used to justify intentionally doing something inconsiderate. I have no need for that word.

If proactive gets to be a word, why the hell not? Fuck-it we'll all be red-necks then.

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by glatt

. But then again, it's not a word I use. It is a word typically used to justify intentionally doing something inconsiderate. I have no need for that word.

Well, it's certainly your prerogative to use that word or not!

Ow!

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Ow!

James Brown moment. :p

More like a tooth-pulled moment.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by monster

Is that what my friends are trying to say when I hear "Squirly"? I always thought it must be a cross between queer and swirly. Which most definitely fits with the kids they were describing.

(Most) Brits pronounce Squirrel "Skwi-rull" -almost rhymes with "pit bull".

Walt Kelly may have the last word on this from our side of the pond: a little cut&pastery:

"Most of these novelty songs don't very well stand the test of time, probably weren't all that great to begin with. But the ones that do, oh man are they great. My own favorite is "Lines Upon a Tranquil Brow," the first six of which are meditative, moody, fretful, all pensive suspended chords and spoken narration -- by Kelly himself:

Have you ever while pond'ring the ways of the morn,
Thought to save just a bit, just a drop in the horn;
To pour in the ev'ning or late afternoon
Or during the night when we're shining the moon?
Have you ever cried out while counting the snow
Or watching the tomtit warble hello....

And then there's a complete break in mood, a drunken bump-and-grind Dixieland band awakes and blatters:

Break out the cigars, this life is for squirrels [fermata]
We're off to the drugstore to whistle at girls?"

[Deuce]

noo-klee-er, not noo-kyu-lar. That drives me crazy.