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Mispronounced words.
A brief explanation of some common mistakes.
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Affidavid /Affidavit
Even if your lawyer's name is "David," he issues affidavits.
A blessing in the skies / A blessing in disguise
This phrase is no blessing if it comes from the skies. (Pronounce it correctly and help maintain the disguise.)
Calvary / Cavalry
It isn't clear why we say, "Mind your Ps and Qs" when we have more difficulty keeping up with our Ls and Rs. Had there been a cavalry in Jesus' time, perhaps Calvary would not have been so tragic.
Chester drawers / Chest of drawers
The drawers of Chester is a typical way of looking at these chests down South but it misses the point.
Duck tape / Duct tape
Ducks very rarely need taping though you may not know that ducts always do—to keep air from escaping through the cracks in them.
Flounder / Founder
Since it is unlikely that a boat would founder on a flounder, we should distinguish the verb from the fish as spelling suggests.
Heineken remover / Heimlich maneuver
The ancient art of stealing someone's beer.The art is using the latter to perform the task.
'erb / herb
Does, "My friend Herb grows 'erbs," sound right to you?
Klu Klux Klan / Ku Klux Klan
Well, there is an [l] in the other two, why not the first? Well, that is just the way it is; don't expect rationality from this organization.
Lambast / Lambaste Better to lambaste the lamb than to baste him—remember, the words rhyme. "Bast" has nothing to do with it.
Ostraya / Australia This pronunciation particularly bothers Australians themselves, most of whom can manage the [l] quite easily, thank you.
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