Words difficult to pronounce

[Tom]

Hello everybody

I am making a list of words that even English teachers find difficult to prononuce. For example, as an individual what is difficult for you to pronounce(not proper nouns).

I would request all to contribute.(ALAN, CONCHITA, AMY, MR. MICAWBER, JIMMIE. K AND OTHERS) Please, please contribute.

For me illegitimate is a bit tricky

I am waiting now

See your enemies on my list
Tom

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

Here are some words that I think many native speakers find hard to pronounce or are typically mispronunced. The problem areas are in boldface type:

- clothes
- prerogative
- governor
- arctic
- calvary
- February

A couple of words that people (including English teachers sometimes) often "trip over" when they try to say them:

- hierarchical
- entrepreneurial

Amy

PS
I don't think most native-speakers would have trouble with "illegitimate".
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Fan of Arabian horses]

Hi Tom!

Here are my tops for your hit list:

-exaggeration
-refrigerator

Michael

[Tom]

Dear Amy

Thank you very much. If you feel up to it, although I do not want to pry , would you give some personal examples???? Which three words you are most careful with while speaking?

DEAR CONCHITA, ALAN, MR. MICAWBER AND JAMIE. K, MAY I KNOW ABOUT YOURS
THANKS
TOM

[NAJAM]

HI Tom

For me speaking STATISTICALLY in the middle of conversation is like setting a ball on a dome -------besides there a lot of words from Shakespeare's dramas I cannot pronounce.

Najam

[Alvira]

Hi

I will give you some important information.

Most native speakers mispronounce the word "calm" making it rhyme with your name, Tom. The correct pronunciation is "KAAM"

ALVIRA

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

I guess I'm most careful with the words that are easy to trip over.

The three words from my "hard-to-pronounce list" that I'm most careful with are probably: clothes, February, governor.

But, with the word "clothes", for example, I try not to be "overly" careful since I suspect this could lead students to believe they hear 2 syllables in the word. And I also see no problem in telling my students that most Americans pronounce the word "clothes" exactly the same as "cloze".

Hi Michael

Many native speakers also trip over the word "refrigerator" and that's probably why the word "fridge" developed.

But "exaggerated" is normally no problem for a native speaker.

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English