You’ve been pronouncing these words wrong
Some of the most important words of 2023 were also among the trickiest to pronounce – and the chances are you’ve been saying them wrong this whole time.
The tongue-twisting pronunciations range from the first name of “Oppenheimer” star Cillian Murphy, to the name of a sacred slab of sandstone used in the coronation of King Charles.
The list of this year’s most mispronounced words in the UK and US has been released by the online language learning company Babbel, and includes words ranging from scientific discoveries, to entertainment and politics.
How many of the words below have you been getting wrong?
The Stone of Scone – pronounced Stone of Skoon
King Charles‘s coronation meant the Stone of Scone was a topic of discussion for some in 2023.
The sacred slab was under the Coronation Chair when the crown was placed on the King’s head in May.
The stone has been used in ceremonies to inaugurate new monarchs for almost a thousand years – and it’s possible people have been pronouncing it wrong for just as long.
The Stone of Scone has the rare honour of making it onto the both the UK and US list of mispronounced words for 2023.
The ancient Stone of Scone has been used in the inauguration of monarchs for hundreds of years
UK list
Padam – pronounced PAD-dahm
This word comes from Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue’s summer hit “Padam Padam”.
The word, which is apparently easier to sing than it is to say, refers to the sound of a heartbeat.
Bharat – pronounced BUH-ruht
Bharat is an ancient Sanskrit word that means India in Hindi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government suggested this year that Indians should start referring to their country as Bharat instead.
A hit by Kylie Minogue proved difficult for people to pronounce. Pic: AP
And now for the US list…
Cillian – pronounced Ki-lee-uhn
Irish actor Cillian Murphy has been one of the biggest stars of the year after starring in the Hollywood blockbuster Oppenheimer – but even that level of fame clearly does not guarantee people saying your name correctly.
Vivek Ramaswamy – pronounced Vih-VEK Rah-mah-SWAH-me
The name of biotech entrepreneur and Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has also featured heavily in the news this year.
Getting people to say his name correctly is one of the many challenges he faces as he aims to secure the Republican nomination.
‘Ki-lee-uhn’ Murphy as Oppenheimer. Pic: AP
SZA – pronounced SIZ-uh (like scissor)
The US singer, who leads the nominations for the upcoming Grammys, goes by an acronym which many will have been pronouncing wrong.
The singer explained in 2018 that the S stands for “Sovereign or Self, Saviour”; the Z stands for Zig-Zag-Zig, which refers to enlightenment; and the A stands for Allah.
Fans of the Wu-Tang Clan will perhaps be less likely to get it wrong, however, as the pronunciation of SZA is in keeping with that of the legendary hip hop group’s de facto leader, the RZA.
Popocatepetl – pronounced Poh-poh-kah-TEH-peh-til
The Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico spewed lava and ash in a series of eruptions earlier this year – sparking an explosion in mispronunciations.
Kilauea – pronounced Kee-lou-EY-uh
In keeping with the volcano theme, Kilauea in Hawaii gave news presenters a tongue-twisting challenge as it erupted multiple times throughout 2023.
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Hollywood actor Jared Leto dressed up as Choupette for the Met Gala. Pic: AP
Choupette – pronounced SHOO-pet
The name of Karl Lagerfeld’s cat was difficult to pronounce for many as the Met Gala honoured the late fashion designer this year.
Kelce – pronounced KEL-see… or is it?
In some cases, the correct pronunciation is in the eye of the beholder. Earning a place on the US list was the last name of Travis Kelce, the NFL star and new boyfriend of Taylor Swift.
Whether Kelce should be pronounced with one or two syllables, Kels or KEL-See, was a topic of discussion on the New Heights podcast he hosts with his brother Jason.
When they asked their father in an episode whether they should go by “Kels or KEL-see”, he replied: “Do whatever you want, I did.”
“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.
The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.
The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.
“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.
“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.
“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”
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Elon Musk speaking at an event held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Pic: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.
“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.
“What a great deal!”
When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
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The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
Read more from Sky News:
Mass displacement in Gaza – people unsure where to go
Donald Trump picks vaccine sceptic as health secretary
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
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