Do you know or can you guess how the following words are pronounced and what they mean?
1. He committed a crime! He must be indicted ! An indictment is what he deserves! (Anklage)
2. His crime was really heinous ! (Pronunciation difference UK vs US?)
3. She doesn't have to settle the payment immediately. She got a respite. (difference UK / US)
4. During an operation the surgeon cuts a part of your body open, and the anaesthetist prevents you from feeling anything, from waking up. Anaesthesia gives us the chance to prevent harrowing pain.
5. They had a row because this very tall guy was sitting in the row in front of him, so he couldn't see anything.
6. He was teasing her all the time. He was so mischievous.
7. Tom and Pam were near Las Vegas, in the middle of the desert, so they both ordered a huge lemon icecream sundae for dessert. Then they had a row, and Pam wanted to desert and leave Tom alone.
8. A huge rock devastated the house, leaving lots of debris lying around.
9. My grandmother's recipe for Knödel is the best!
10. I paid my bill but I didn't get a receipt. The word receipt is pronounced without the "p".
11. The wilderness in Africa is full of wild animals. The most majestic ones being the wildebeest. When people see them they usually stare in awe and bewilderment.
12. Since we mentioned the word awe - did you know that it rhymes with the U.S. state Arkansas, which is not far from the state Kansas.
13. Tom accompanied the song on his guitar, and Susan played the bass guitar.
14. Oberstleutnant - that's a lieutenant colonel. The British pronunciation of the word lieutenant is really odd.
15. There was a drought - it hadn't been raining for months. He needed a draught beer.
16. You can measure the temperature, or gauge it.
17. 'Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.' This is what Albert Einstein allegedly said... The astronomists and phycicists are still asking themselves whether the universe is infinite or finite. What about human stupidity? What is your opinion? Is human stupidity infinite or finite?
18. This was not just a job that could be done in a minute. The team worked thoroughly and efficiently. Everything they did was worked out in minute detail.
19. The wine that is grown in that vineyard is marvellous (marvelous in the US).
20. He dropped the vase and smashed it to smithereens. (Check out the difference between US and UK when it comes to the vase !)
21. An expert of the soul - or of the psyche - is a psychologist, or, if it is also a medical doctor, a psychiatrist, who works in the psychiatric ward of a hospital. There are also psychotherapists and psycho thrillers, although they are not linked to each other.
22. The break is over, dear students; you can now resume your task of writing a résumé.
23. Yosemite National Park in California is very famous. Alex Honnold did that infamous free solo climbing documentary movie in 2017.
24. We use a comb to style our hair.
25. Everything seemed to be working out fine, but then suddenly things went awry.
26. After Harold had been wearing a clown suit at his cousin's funeral, we had to question his sense of propriety. He claimed it wasn't his own suit, but the question whose property it was was definitely irrelevant.
27. Diarrhoea is a disease that is often ridiculed, but it can be serious in places where the hygiene standards are low.
28. Those ancient documents can be found in the archive.
29. The Gaudi cathedral in Barcelona is so magnificent.
30. Various people did not turn up, for a variety of reasons.
31. Aren't you anxious to find out how the word anxiety is pronounced?
32. All students should know the difference between woman and women, but too many keep forgetting it!
33. So, a photographer takes photographs - easy, isn't it?
34. This is not very important - you can also forget it - but can you imagine how Worcestershire might be pronounced? Yes, it's a real name of a county (no, not a country!) in England, famous due to the Worcestershire sauce!
35. ... and if the Worcestershire sauce is famous - do you know what infamous means and how it is pronounced?
36. The medical term for the womb is uterus.
37. Your boss is not a chef (unless you work in the kitchen of a restaurant), and not a chief either.
38. The British do not pronounce either and neither the same way as the Americans do.
39. You should know what a gynecologist is, but can you pronounce it?
40. The biker got injured in the accident, and the physician wound (past tense of wind, which has nothing to do with the wind in Vinschgau) a bandage around her wound, after cleaning and disinfecting it.
41. One might wonder why there is a "c" in the word victuals when you don't pronounce it, and the "u" is also useless! (Proviant)
42. This one is easy, nonetheless frequently mispronounced: tired. If it sounds like: "Is his tie red?" then it's definitely wrong! I'm tired of red ties!
43. The violinist took a bow (like Rihanna?) and lost the grip on his bow.
44. Talking about bows... or boughs... one wonders how soughs and coughs and loughs are pronounced... I'm going awry!
45. The pandemic prevented her from seeing her fiancé.
46. Erin checked the advertisements to find a job - and that word is pronounced differently in the US!
47. The word stuff is very similar to the word staff, however, the meaning and the pronunciation are totally different!
48. If you are able to remember that there is no table in comfortable, then you should also be able to remember that there is no "cable" in applicable. The adjective applicable comes from application, to apply, so it is rather important!
49. The rhetoric of the "former guy" (that's how Biden called his predecessor in a speech) was really awful!
50. So we had the adjective minute that means very small, but we also have the adjective miniscule, that is for even smaller things!
51. I'm working my way through the difference between a rough cough and a bough, a sough (no, not a sow) or a slough, it's really tough, though! I think I've got enough of it... unless... wait a minute: What is a lake in Ireland? A lough! That's a total of six different pronunciations for the same spelling! Ugh!
52. One consonant in the words debt and debtor is not pronounced - which one?
53. When a bear eats a pear it does it without fear !
54. In order to heave that weight you need to operate that lever.
55. The length, the width, and the height - these three dimensions also determine the weight of an object. - Wait a minute, what about the depth?
56. Every breath you take, I'll be watching you. You'll be so nervous that you won't be able to breathe normally.
57. There is not much difference between pronouncing please and the police, at least in British English.
58. The word privacy can be pronounced in two different ways - do you know how? (UK/US)
59. Also the word formidable can be pronounced in two different ways - how?
60. I admire people who know how to pronounce the adjective admirable.
61. Which is your favourite music genre?
62. The words knit, knob, knight, knowledge all start without the consonant k, it's a real knack, you know? It's a schlep!
63. The difference in pronunciation between the adjective discreet and the noun discretion is a little tricky - and what do the words mean?
64. Hush, little baby, don't you cry, and don't beat about the bush! (What does that mean?)
65. The English word for Metzger/in is butcher!
66. In the US you can hardly hear any difference between an aunt and an ant - it's a little better in the UK.
67. Does the tear on my cheek rhyme with bear or with fear? The uncertainty is tearing me apart and makes me feel weary!
68. Did you know that the names of the cities Worcester, Gloucester, Leicester and Lancaster have their origin in the Latin word "castrum", which means "Lager"?
69. Is there a table in the word vegetable?
70. Which consonant is not pronounced in the word salmon?
71. His behaviour towards women was despicable and ignominious.
72. Either you appreciate my help or you do it alone!
73. Whatever is an advantage for me is advantageous.
74. I think hyenas are repugnant animals, but you have to admit that they are incredibly tough.
75. There was a queue at the quay because our boat was late.
76. He had been walking in the soot barefoot. Then he found a boot for his left foot.
77. He felt the suite they were assigned to was considerably expensive, nonetheless it suited him.
78. "... and I know that their intentions have been honorable and ought not to be impugned with impunity." said the president.
79. The American state Connecticut is pronounced without one consonant that is in the written word: which one?
80. He gave her a huge hug.
81. If you keep trying and don't lose heart you will eventually succeed and be successful.
82. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things in an interesting way, a synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to signify the whole, or vice-versa.
83. Without your password accessing MS Teams is not possible.
84. Before his death, the Pharao vowed that he himself and his assistants from the underworld will protect his treasures from everyone who dared to enter his grave.
85. Treason has been defined as "the highest of all crimes"
86. Like in German, you can call a very good friend a bosom friend.
87. The word "issue" is not a big issue, unless you want to know the difference between the American and the British pronunciation.
88. Also the word "schedule" is pronounced differently in the US versus the UK.
89. There is also a slight pronunciation difference between American and British English for the word "buffet". It certainly doesn't sound French!
90. Does the word "crazy" resonate in the word "democracy"?
91. It's odd that the Greek word βίος (bios), which means "life", ends up being pronounced differently in the noun "symbiosis", as opposed to the adjective "symbiotic".
92. There is the word "line" in lineage, which means an individual's descent in a line from a common progenitor. But can you hear that?
93. Are you able to pronounce "considerable"?
94. Do you say innovative, innovative, or innovative?
95. Consumerism is imperative to our culture's paradigm.
96. The "t" in "often" is pronounced - or isn't it?
97. This one is really easy, but so many people keep saying "hottl" when they talk about a hotel.
98. All the things you know - that's your knowledge.
99. Do you say subsequent or subsequent ?
100. The adult people in the UK are adult in the US.
101. Does the word "niche" rhyme with "bitch" or with "leash"?
102. The annihilation contains the Latin word "nihil".
103. Do you know the location of the Caribbean sea with its islands?
104. The zebra sounds different in UK versus US English.
105. No, your sweatshirt is not sweet!
106. How is the well-known software Excel pronounced in English?
107. What do you say when you need lingerie in a British or American shop?
108. You can undertake something, which - like in German - means "etwas unternehmen", but if you want to talk about an "Unternehmer/in" things get tricky: An undertaker is a "Totengräber/in" in German, so the English language has borrowed the word for "Unternehmer/in" from French: entrepreneur, pronounced in two slightly differing ways.
109. Debut sounds like "debüü"? No! It sounds like "debiu".
110. A cup of hot cocoa would be delicious now, wouldn't it?
111. The Celts were an ancient population in Europe. Archeological evidence of Celtic culture can be found in many places in Europe.
112. A physician, a musician, an electrician, or an optician, a politician, and a paediatrician - all end up sounding the same!
113. And of course you know that a physicist is not a physician.
114. Is the city Tucson in Arizona pronounced "Tackson", Tiucson", or "Tuuson"?
115. The mayor (Bürgermeister, Bürgermeisterin) of a city is not the same as a major (Major, Majorin)
116. A tortoise is hard to crack!
117. What do the words would, could, walk, talk, chalk, half, calf, salmon have in common? There is no L in them!
118. In a few decades all vehicles will have to be emission free.
119. Many books begin with a preface.
120. Many people need to take out a mortgage in order to be able to purchase an apartment or a house.
121. I like mixed salads with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. By the way, tomatoes are pronounced differently in the US and the UK.
122. If you pickle a cucumber it turns into a gherkin. In London there's a skyscraper called The Gherkin because that's what it looks like.
123. You've probably never heard of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, but you know her for sure: She is a famous singer (or is she infamous?): She uses the pseudonym Lady Gaga.
124. "subtle" is an adjective that means thin, tenuous, or rarefied, as a fluid or an odor (UK: odour). ·Something that's subtle is fine or delicate in meaning or intent; difficult to perceive or understand. Example: subtle irony. /ˈsʌt(ə)l/ /ˈtɛnjʊəs/ /ˈʌɪrəni/
125. If you make exaggerated statement or claims that are not meant to be taken literally, that is a figure of speech that's called hyperbole. /hʌɪˈpəːbəli/
126, Without any doubt one day you will be walking down the aisle in a church and get married.
127. Prolonged use of antibiotics may result in a fungal infection. The plural of fungus is fungi.
128. With Locke the mind is comparable to white paper on which the world of things records itself in ideas of sensation. (difference UK / US)
129. Students of a school are referred to as alumni when they are no longer at their school.
130. We all need various vitamins to survive. (difference UK - US!)
131. In the 1970s the US took the lead in removing the lead from gasoline. That was the birth uf unleaded fuel.
132. With Covid, we heard the word virus very often, and how virulent the coronavirus is, especially the newest variant Omicron, whose virulence is astonishing.
133. The rich man sold his yacht on the spot.
134. The Americans have an awkward and peculiar way of pronouncing the piano brand Bösendorfer.
135. He was making progress, albeit rather slowly .
136. He was the best tenor in the choir, despite his deep voice that sounded more like a bass. His vocal range covers three octaves.
137. Luxurious mansions usually have a patio ... which rhymes with ratio, doesn't it?
138. Very often in history one nation tried to establish its hegemony on another nation. (UK - US)
Preface southern knowledge
139. A good cream leaves the skin deeply cleansed and radiant.
140. This survey shows that in this hotel basic cleanliness and hygiene issues are being ignored by hotel staff.
141. Life begins in a womb and ends in a tomb.
Solutions in phonetics: (work in progress)
1. ɪnˈdaɪt , ɪnˈdaɪtmənt
2. US: ˈheɪnəs, UK: ˈhiːnəs
3. UK: ˈrɛspaɪt, US: ˈrɛspit
4. əˈniːsθətɪst
5. rudern, Reihe: rəʊ, roʊ, Streit: raʊ
6. ˈmɪsʧəvəs
7. desert: ˈdɛzɜrt, dessert: dɪˈzɜrt
8. US: dəˈbri, UK: ˈdɛbri
9. ˈrɛsəpi, ˈrɛsipi
10. rɪˈsiːt
11. wilderness: ˈwɪldənɪs, wild: waɪld, wildebeest: ˈwɪldəbiːst
12. ˈɑːkənsɔː, ˈɑːkənsɑː
13. tɒm əˈkʌmpənid ðə sɒŋ ɒn ɪz gɪˈtɑː, ənd ˈsuːz(ə)n pleɪd ðə beɪs gɪˈtɑː.
14. UK: lɛfˈtɛnənt ˈkɜːnl, US: lʊˈtɛnənt ˈkɜːnl
124
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