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There's a quote I've come across before, never make fun of someone mispronouncing a word in English, because it's a sign they are a reader. I was in my 30s whe
by KPGv2 2mo ago
There's a quote I've come across before, never make fun of someone mispronouncing a word in English, because it's a sign they are a reader.
I was in my 30s when I learned "ennui" was pronounced "on wee" rather than N-U-I. I did not know it was from French. No shame. I never spoke the word aloud, but used it in writing. A teenager I knew was studying for a vocab test and had to learn the word, and I overheard him flash carding. Pronounced it "on-wee" and my brain exploded.
- dieselgate 2mo agoInteresting example in this context because "ennui" looks French, which may help someone with the pronunciation or spelling depending on needs. It's not a word I've come across much before though, if ever? It means: tedium, boredom, "A feeling of weariness and disgust; dullness" Thanks for the teachable moment!
- saghm 2mo agoI've always assumed it was a loan word from French, but I honestly also have never been properly able to figure out how to pronounce arbitrary words in French because I'm not familiar enough with the language. My perception is that the pronunciation for it is fairly regular, but I'd still need to take the time to learn it, and unless I actually spent the time to fully learn and practice French, I doubt I'd end up remembering the pronunciation rules anyways.
- KPGv2 2mo agoI thought it might be Greek, a language all Americans butcher constantly. I think Gen Z will know the word bc one of the emotions in Pixar's Inside Out 2 was named Ennui and walked around with a French accent doing pretty much nothing :D