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On the JJ Barnes Blog, I check out research from Slotbox into which words we are struggling most to pronounce, and find the correct way!
If like me you grew up learning new words from reading them, not hearing them, the correct way to pronounce them could often be a mystery. Slotbox experts looked at average Google searches over the past year to determine which British words are most difficult to pronounce.
Aoife
It discovered that the most difficult name for Brits to pronounce is “Aoife,” a feminine name from Ireland. How to pronounce it is searched for more than 9,260 times per month, nearly 2,000 times more than second place. The common Irish name should be pronounced “ee-fa.”
Saoirse
“Saoirse,” another historically Irish name, comes in second. It is one of five names on the top ten list, and there are more than 7,710 monthly searches for how to pronounce it. The most widely used and accepted pronunciation is “sur-sha,” but some people with the name also prefer “seer-sha” as the pronunciation.
Omicron
With 5,830 monthly searches for assistance with pronouncing the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet, “Omicron” comes in at number three on the list. Following the media’s coverage of the new COVID-19 variant at the time, which was named after it, searches for the word’s pronunciation reached their highest point in late 2021. It should be pronounced either “oh-MY-kron” or “OM-uh-kron.”
Kyiv
The fourth stop is “Kyiv,” the capital of Ukraine. There are over 5,410 monthly searches for its pronunciation, and the results indicate that “KEE-yiv” is the correct pronunciation. Until 2018, English-speaking nations referred to the capital as “Kiev” (pronounced “key-EV”) until an online campaign encouraged the preferred spelling of “Kyiv” to be used.
Açaí
The term “Açaí’,” which refers to a palm tree species grown for its fruit, leaves, and wood, completes the top five. There are 5,270 monthly searches for how to pronounce it, the majority of which are related to its use in food. Merriam-Webster lists the correct pronunciation as “ah-sah-EE,” despite the fact that its pronunciation has been the subject of much debate.
Difficult To Pronounce Words
| # | How to pronounce: | Monthly searches | Correct pronunciation |
| 1 | Aoife | 9,260 | “ee-fa” |
| 2 | Saoirse | 7,710 | “sur-sha” |
| 3 | Omicron | 5,830 | “oh-MY-kron” OR “OM-uh-kron” |
| 4 | Kyiv | 5,410 | “KEE-yiv” |
| 5 | Açaí | 5,270 | “ah-sah-EE” |
| 6 | Niamh | 5,150 | “neev” |
| 7 | Gyros | 4,290 | “yee-ros” |
| 8 | Siobhan | 3,980 | “shi-vawn” |
| 9 | Nguyen | 3,570 | “n-WIN”, “win”, “noo-yen” |
| 10 | Schedule | 3,110 | “shed-yool” |
Slotbox
Slotbox experts explained that this list may point out how many of us have been mispronouncing everyday words without realizing it, and even worse, it may point out how we pronounce names incorrectly. The desire of many Brits to learn the correct pronunciation of Kyiv and Omicron to participate in topical conversation is another sign of the influence of current events.
Slotbox, a one-stop shop for all things slots, conducted the study. Each slot is hand-picked by a dedicated team, providing a wide range and quality assurance.
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