Today’s pet peeve: People who say “melk” instead of milk.

[AWS1022]

One of my daughters had a teacher use crown and crayon as an example of homonyms. My head nearly exploded. But Kentucky is a hotbed for pronunciation quirks. For example, Versailles is town down here. Pronounced Ver-sails.

Kentucky is nothing compared to WV. There’s a town in WV called Cairo, but pronounced Cay-ro. There’s another called Hurricane, but pronounced Hurri-cun. Then there’s Parkersburg that the locals call Parkiesburg. I spent over 20 years being told how to talk by West Virginians, I just had to laugh.

 

[manatree]

Industry specific, but m-a-s-o-n-a-r-y causes me to turn immediately around and walk away from a conversation with any colleague that uses the term.......

Years ago, I tried in vain to explain to a State College area mason that the lettering painted on the side of his van was misspelled. He was insistent that John Doe Masonary Services was correct and that college kids like me didn’t know what I was talking about. Granted, I often don’t, but I knew masonry.

 

[IrishHerb]

For years I pronounced Grand Prix as Grand Pricks, until a female colleague told me it should be Grand Pree.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Kentucky is nothing compared to WV. There’s a town in WV called Cairo, but pronounced Cay-ro. There’s another called Hurricane, but pronounced Hurri-cun. Then there’s Parkersburg that the locals call Parkiesburg. I spent over 20 years being told how to talk by West Virginians, I just had to laugh.

I’ll see your Cay-ro, WV and raise you an Athens (with a hard A), KY.

 

[OhioLion]

I’m going to the liberry today and look all of this up.
My students would ask to go to the liberry. I’d ask if that is next to the blueberry, strawberry, or blackberry.

OL

 

[manatree]

I can’t believe that I forgot to list my biggest peeve.

alot

There is a lot and there is allot. There is no alot.

There is a clickbait website called Alot.com, and they have a section for education Whenever one of their stories shows up on my Facebook feed, I report it as offensive.

 

[steelhead52]

Years ago, I tried in vain to explain to a State College area mason that the lettering painted on the side of his van was misspelled. He was insistent that John Doe Masonary Services was correct and that college kids like me didn’t know what I was talking about. Granted, I often don’t, but I knew masonry.

Maybe John Doe Masonary was his full name?

 

[steelhead52]

I can live with bad vocabulary or pronunciation. It's bad manners like not using TONGS that bother me.

 

[BobPSU92]

Years ago, I tried in vain to explain to a State College area mason that the lettering painted on the side of his van was misspelled. He was insistent that John Doe Masonary Services was correct and that college kids like me didn’t know what I was talking about. Granted, I often don’t, but I knew masonry.

Great googly moogly.

 

[thewholebit]

People who use swearing words inappropriately in public, then giggle and say “pardon my French.”

 

[LionJim]

You ain’t missing much Herb.

No. Herb and I have shared many laughs about the things hearing people bitch about.

FWIW, there are dialects in American Sign Language. I guess that’s a universal trait for languages.

 

[BudatPSU]

I live in the Lehigh Valley and work in NJ. Gas supply is fine here. I grew up in Sayre, which is why I knew what you were referring to.

When I am up north I walk by the Redskin Stadium on my regular exercise route going from near the Wildcat Stadium to downtown Sayre, up Lockhart and down Pa Ave to home. About 3 miles.

 

[JWB389]

When I am up north I walk by the Redskin Stadium on my regular exercise route going from near the Wildcat Stadium to downtown Sayre, up Lockhart and down Pa Ave to home. About 3 miles.

We may know each other.

 

[wex18]

People who says "chomping at the bit" instead of "champing at the bit" (though the first is becoming more acceptable because it's misused so often).
Media people who say "the media is." The world "media" is plural.

 

[manatree]

Media people who say "the media is." The world "media" is plural.

If they use the singular, it will conjure up images of Miss Cleo.

 

[Aardvark86]

People who use swearing words inappropriately in public, then giggle and say “pardon my French.”

I object! "There is no such thing as using a swear word inappropriately.

 

[thewholebit]

We may know each other.

I may know you both.

 

[Aardvark86]

People who says "chomping at the bit" instead of "champing at the bit" (though the first is becoming more acceptable because it's misused so often).
Media people who say "the media is." The world "media" is plural.

A very good point, and raises the interesting side note that a talking head columnist who is a member of the media is really not much more insightful than a medium.

 

[JWB389]

I may know you both.

That's funny. I was Sayre class of '85.

 

[thewholebit]

That's funny. I was Sayre class of '85.

I lived in the Valley from 88-93.

 

[bison13]

Kentucky is nothing compared to WV. There’s a town in WV called Cairo, but pronounced Cay-ro. There’s another called Hurricane, but pronounced Hurri-cun. Then there’s Parkersburg that the locals call Parkiesburg. I spent over 20 years being told how to talk by West Virginians, I just had to laugh.

One of my best friends is from Hurricane, multiple generations and he says "her-ah-cun"

 

[thewholebit]

One of my best friends is from Hurricane, multiple generations and he says "her-ah-cun"

West Virginians calling a mirror a “meerow.”

 

[JWB389]

I lived in the Valley from 88-93.

Likely just missed each other. I was at PSU 85 though 89, then relocated. It's a small town though, so you never know. I still get back a few times a year.

 

[thewholebit]

Likely just missed each other. I was at PSU 85 though 89, then relocated. It's a small town though, so you never know. I still get back a few times a year.

You had my in laws as teachers...don’t use names.

 

[BobPSU92]

One of my best friends is from Hurricane, multiple generations and he says "her-ah-cun"

NSFW.

 

[JWB389]

You had my in laws as teachers...don’t use names.

Mother in law - English, Father in law - Algebra?

 

[Woodpecker]

Personally, I’ve conceded the battle over the misuse and ignorance of the meaning of irony. I’m on the verge of waving the white flag over the misuse, and overuse of literally. Even dictionaries are providing an additional, in-effect definition of ‘virtually’ because misuse of literally has become so common.

 

[BudatPSU]

We may know each other.

Maybe, I did not grow up in the valley but I worked there about 38 years. I looked back through the thread. You guys a pretty young. I graduated high school about 20 years ahead of you.

 

[Aardvark86]

My favorite non-dialect driven mispronunciations, both of which were by the same person and both of which I attributed to a combination of her stupidity and her desire to seem sophisticated, were:

1. Epitome (eh-pi-TOM) - as in, "John's vintage corvette is the epiTOME of classic american car design".
2. Halibut (ha-li-boo) - as in, "Yes, garcon, I'll have the haliboo, but could I substitute green beans for the asparagus?"

 

[Roar More]

"Past history" sets me off. Where else would history be but in the past? But recently, my trigger is "agree to disagree." Don't tell me what I agree to. Your point about using tongs in onion dip is stupid. And there are people on this board who think "yea" is an affirmative word. The word you are looking for is "yeah."

I feel better now.

 

[JWB389]

Maybe, I did not grow up in the valley but I worked there about 38 years. I looked back through the thread. You guys a pretty young. I graduated high school about 20 years ahead of you.

You may know my parents then.

 

[CVLion]

Perhaps they should post I could care more?

Yes! Now that I could support, lol

 

[CVLion]

Thought of another phrase that bugs the crap outta me: “Thanks, but no thanks.”

It should be a simple “No, thanks.” Refusing what is offered but then thanking the offeror.

What is the purpose of tacking on an extra “Thanks” at the beginning? It’s either completely redundant, or it implies you think everyone who has ever said “No, thanks” was leaving out the comma and actually saying there were, well, no thanks forthcoming.

Maddening, I tell you!

 

[WDLion]

In my area, when it snows the roads get really slippy.