I like anything that makes me sound smarter than I am. You’re Saying it Wrong is a handy little
pronunciation guide filled with all those pesky phrases that leave even the
well-educated scratching their heads. Some of the words like plethora and niche
have never given me trouble, but others, I’m sorry to say, I’ve been stumbling
around for years. The book isn’t limited to English words. Common foreign ones
are also include. I won’t tell you how many times I’ve butchered oeuvre until the Petras set me straight.
The book isn’t dull and dry. It includes a few surprises and
interesting backstories on each puzzling word or phrase. My favorite is the
correct pronunciation of Dr. Seuss. Yes, we’ve all been sounding like idiots
for years. Theodor Geisel created his pen name in honor of his mother. Seuss is
her maiden name and it rhymes with voice instead
of goose, but English-speaking
Americans went with a phonetic pronunciation instead of German.
There are interesting “How to Sound Like A…” side notes that list often
mispronounced words associated with areas such as arts, business, travel, and
others. Want to sound like a fashionista? The book has the top sixteen designer
names so that the next time you’re in Paris for Fashion Week you won’t be
mistaken for a dork.
This is a short book and a fast fun read. I recommend you
take it to your next dinner party and annoy the hell out of everyone.
I received this from Blogging for Books in exchange for a
review.
No comments:
Post a Comment