I read about Quinoa before I heard it pronounced. I asked in the health food store if they had any QUIN-OH-A, pronouncing it just like it looks on the page. It took a while to sort out - these little things are all fun.
I had never heard of quinoa (and my computer's spell-check doesn't recognize it), and I have only seen ennui and dais written, at least to the best of my knowledge. So I guess I don't need to be too ashamed I missed those three. Decent quiz!
Quinoa is technically a seed, but you cook and eat it like a grain. It has a bit of a nutty flavor, is happily un-mushy, and holds up well with veggies and dressing for a cold side-dish salad, or as part of many great hot entree recipes. In our house, we just do it up in our rice cooker (works perfectly!) as a side dish – it goes well with anything you would have chosen rice to accompany. Try it! You'll like it!
To make the point that English spelling is screwed up my Phonetics professor in college wrote the word "ghoti" on the board and asked us to try and say it. After we all failed he revealed that the word was "fish." He spelled it using the "gh" from "enough," the "o" from "women," and the "ti" from "nation." Then we started our lesson on IPA.
Only apocryphally. It doesn't actually appear in any of his written work, and it pre-dates Shaw's birth even. By the way, it is George Burr-nərd Shaw rather than George Burr-NARD Shaw.
This probably makes me kind of an idiot, but I was so convinced that it was spelled caché, that I actually went off-site to copy-paste it with the accented e, imagining that it might actually matter.
Not great, the hints are pretty bad, I think it is maybe too difficult to write phonetic sounds that will suit all people taking the quiz. When making a quiz give it a friend or relative first and see how they go before throwing it in at the deep end.
Since many are actually French words, as a native speaker they were easy for me. I missed only 2 words and they were words I've never heard before, so not bad.
I personally pronounce Quinoa as Keen-oh-ah. For my misfortune I have no idea on what Dais and Ennui are, and never imagined the existence of a coxswain. Oh well, good quiz though.
ander217. I agree with your comment, I consider it to be the same in UK, it depends where you are! every region has its quirks. Having said that, I think we all say Graham! To my ears it is Gray ham. I did not even realise that gram crackers where the same thing! I thought it was a grain or flour!
This is a joy for a non english speaker (not.. well, it is interesting, but first you would have to figure out how you guys would pronounce what is written here, so it is two quizes at once (and well, you need to have heard of these english term, but that is the case for all other quizzes aswell)
Still only missed 4 though. Really didnt see chalet, and tried chutspah with an s instead of z (and many other variations, it is a tough, one, because yiddish gets "translated" (not really, just altered) differently per country. and the other 3 lowest I hadnt heard of, Ennui rang a bell before I even saw it, and seeing it I think ow yea that was the word in my head, but I have no idea what it is.
As many have noted, this is a distinctly American set of pronunciations - might be worth specifying that in the introduction to avoid all the arguments about "urb".
Me, I'm just glad you didn't include the word "buoy", which is probably the only American pronunciation I genuinely can't stand.
It is indeed the American pronunciation! But surely you're not going to imply that British English always pronounces things the way they're spelled/spelt? Do you pronounce the "h" in hour, honest, heir, or honour?
"Chutzpa" and "hutzpah" are both proper ways to spell the word as well. I know "chutzpah" is the most common spelling, but the others should probably still be accepted.
To my American ears, pronouncing the "h" in "herb" turns it into a man's name, short for "Herbert." I've certainly never come across any of them in my garden!
i only got 8/21 but it was fun laughing inappropriately at hay nuss and cocks un with my friends. (fyi we tried them and they aren't the correct answers)
Great quiz. I missed the last 3, even though I knew the answers....just couldn't spell them. Tried starting Chutzpah with an H; added an i to Edelweiss thinking "ay" was ei, duh..; knew coxswain from my sailing days.
P.S. Note my username! ;-)
English's pronunciation of French words is amusing.
I hope my message is understandable because my English is not very well.
Still only missed 4 though. Really didnt see chalet, and tried chutspah with an s instead of z (and many other variations, it is a tough, one, because yiddish gets "translated" (not really, just altered) differently per country. and the other 3 lowest I hadnt heard of, Ennui rang a bell before I even saw it, and seeing it I think ow yea that was the word in my head, but I have no idea what it is.
Definitely thought that ennui was aren't we! Never heard an English speaker use it before.
Me, I'm just glad you didn't include the word "buoy", which is probably the only American pronunciation I genuinely can't stand.
Just a joke, everyone! Brits don't pronounce the "h" at the beginning of honour, honest, etc.
(I love this quiz)
Thanks for the challenge.
edit: i know it from the book "divergent"