Wednesday, January 05, 2005

You say tom-AY-to. I say tom-AH-to.

Words are fun. I love words. I like them to be spelled and used correctly. My co-workers know I am usually sitting with the medical dictionary close at hand. I can't stand spelling errors. I also hate mispronounced words.I personally will not use a word if I am not 100% sure of it's meaning. What's the point? My goal is to be understood. I try to make sure that happens.

When Lillianna started to talk, I made sure she said library and not liberry. That drives me crazy especially hearing an adult say that. I just want to ask, "Oh, is a liberry like a strawberry? Can you make jam and muffins out of it?" Which brings me to the one word which I have mispronounced my entire life but I just can't make myself say it correctly. I simply can not do it and believe me, I have tried! This is absolutely humiliating because it is the month I was born in: February! I say Feb-u-ary just like everyone else, not Feb-ru-ary. I can barely make eye contact with anyone when I say this word because I am deeply ashamed that I am too lazy to make myself say it correctly.
Although, in my almost 42 years, I have never heard anyone say it as it is spelled.

How do you pronounce February?

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