Quote from: Arch on June 13, 2010, 03:03:08 PM
On another note, I have a terrible time remembering to pronounce "areola" properly and always want to put the stress on third syllable instead of the second. What is it about this particular word?

Wait, that's not how you're supposed to pronounce it? Damn.

That's the trouble with learning words by reading them first.

Quote from: SilverFang on June 14, 2010, 01:05:41 AMWait, that's not how you're supposed to pronounce it? Damn.

That's the trouble with learning words by reading them first.

Story of my life when I was a really small kid. I was an inveterate dictionary-lover but didn't always look up words when I first learned them. I would pronounce them one way in my head for weeks and then find out that my pronunciation was all wrong.

At least I didn't mispronounce out loud very often. After my parents laughed at me a couple of times, that is.

But "areola"--it just sounds wrong when you say it right. To me, anyway.

Yep, I usually try to avoid the embarrassing wrong pronunciation when I learn a new word. So I have a better vocabulary in writing.

Quote from: Arch on June 14, 2010, 02:06:59 AM
But "areola"--it just sounds wrong when you say it right. To me, anyway.

Yes, yes it does.

Correct pronunciation: http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/audio-medlineplus.pl?areola01.wav=areola

Turns out I've been pronouncing it wrong too. Although I intend to carry on doing so, because the correct version sounds weird.

never heard anyone actually pronounce it that way.

Well, I can't bring myself to keep making the same error over and over when I know it's wrong. So I'm stuck with pronouncing it correctly even if nobody else I know does.

I should never have said anything about pronunciation. Every scientist I've ever seen in the last five years in a documentary about early humans incorrectly pronounces "bipedal" with a long "e." At first I was confused. I actually thought it was a different word from "bipedal" with a short "e," and maybe that it had a different spelling. Thought it had some arcane scientific meaning that I was not privy to. Then I looked it up. Nope. It's clearly the same word; they're all just saying it wrong.

I remember someone who kept saying "seg-yew," and I could not for the life of me figure out what he meant. I was about to ask him when it dawned on me: segue.

The list goes on.

And people say things like, "What difference does it make how I pronounce it? You know what I mean?" Uh, no, I don't. Not always.

All of which is nicely off topic...

Nipples I don't have a problem with, but my boobs overall...don't start me. I have previously had a reduction (from gargantuan to less so) and can't wait to just get rid altogether, though I guess I'll have so many scars you could use me as a roadmap. But nipples? They're ok. Gives you somewhere to put your spare jewellery...

Oh, and can I say I have NEVER heard it pronounced Ah-REE-oh-la. And I allegedly teach English. Or is that just an American pronunciation...now you've got me doubting myself...

I've got to join the club and say that I've always pronounced it with the stress on the third syllable.  Only in my head of course, though.  I've never actually heard it said before.  The "correct" pronunciation makes no sense to me...

:O  I've been pronouncing it ah-ree-OH-la as well.  I guess you learn something new every day...  :/

Quote from: LucienOctopus on June 14, 2010, 09:20:17 PM
:O  I've been pronouncing it ah-ree-OH-la as well.  I guess you learn something new every day...  :/

I pronounce it like that too.