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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
On 19 December, 80-year-old Palestinian grandmother Halima Abu Leil was shot in an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) raid on her neighbourhood in Balata refugee camp in Nablus, West Bank.
Two days later, Halima’s children told Sky News their mother was shot six times by Israeli special forces on her way to buy groceries. She died soon after.
Warning this piece includes an image from CCTV of the moment Halima Abu Leil was shot.
“They could see she is an elderly lady but they shot her six times – in her leg, in her chest. When she was first shot in her legs, she knelt on the ground,” her daughter said.
Newly released grainy CCTV footage shows the moment she was shot and reveals that a van marked as an ambulance was used during the surprise IDF raid.
Halima Abu Leil’s family want the footage to be seen.
Sky News’ Data & Forensics unit has analysed the CCTV and geolocated the street where the video was filmed. It is the exact location Halima’s son told us she “fell to her knees” as she was shot.
Three men are also walking down the street. There is no visible contact between them and Halima. Based on our analysis of their silhouettes, the figure in the middle appears to be holding a weapon. They are likely to be neighbourhood militants.
The three men veer to the right, moving into a sunny area. One takes a seat on some stairs, while the other two stand. They join someone sitting there already.
A few yards away, Halima stops in the middle of the street to speak to another woman with a shopping trolley.
An ambulance pulls into vision, separating the two women, and drives slowly down the street. A white van pulls in behind the medical vehicle.
A few moments later, the passenger door of the white van opens and a faint cloud of smoke is visible, suggesting that a gunshot is fired.
This is the moment Halima falls to her knees.
The men, some of them armed, scatter to the right and left into alleyways along with other people in the street.
A detailed analysis of the footage suggests that visible clouds of smoke on the walls are the result of multiple shots. The footage and imagery we gathered from the site of the killing shows bullet holes in the building next to where Halima was standing.
The woman she was speaking to moments earlier takes cover in a doorway.
At the same time, figures who appear to be Israeli military forces exit the ambulance in the foreground. They are equipped with helmets, backpacks, rifles, and other gear.
Armed figures can also be seen leaving the white van in the background. They are seen aiming their weapons down the street.
Halima appears to get hit again and collapses to the floor. The men likely to be neighbourhood militants are not visibly present in the street when this happens.
At the time of our previous report, the IDF said they had conducted “counterterrorism activity” in Balata camp the morning Halima was killed.
We approached the IDF about the CCTV footage and the use of a medical vehicle to conduct their operation.
This was its response: “The IDF is committed to and operates in accordance with international law. The mentioned incident is under review. The review will examine the use of the vehicle shown in the video and the claims of harm to uninvolved individuals during the exchange of fire between the terrorists and our forces.”
The use of a marked medical vehicle for a security operation could be a contravention of the Geneva Convention and a war crime – as well as Halima’s killing.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on occupied Palestinian territory Francesca Albanese watched the CCTV video and told Sky News she was shocked but not surprised.
She says: “When I look at the footage, what emerges prima facie is that there were no precautions taken – within these operations whose legality is debatable – to avoid or spare civilian life. No principle of proportionality because there was wildfire directed at the identified target and ultimately no respect for the principle of distinction.
“So this was a murder in cold blood and could be a war crime as an extrajudicial killing.”
According to the United Nations Office of Human Rights in occupied Palestinian territory (OHCHR oPt), Israeli security forces and settlers have killed at least 813 mostly unarmed Palestinians, including 15 women and 177 children, since 7 October 2023.
In a statement to Sky News regarding Halima’s killing, the OHCHR oPT said: “Any deliberate killing by Israeli security forces of Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank who do not pose an imminent threat to life is unlawful under international human rights law and a war crime in the context of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territory.
“This incident must be investigated independently, effectively, thoroughly, and transparently. If there is evidence of violations of the applicable law enforcement standards, those responsible must be held to account.”
Sophie Alexander, international affairs producer, and Michelle Inez Simon, visual investigations producer, contributed reporting.
The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy has met Israel’s prime minister in an effort to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza before the president-elect takes office on 20 January.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed details of the meeting with Steve Witkoff on Saturday, adding that the head of the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency has been deployed to Qatar in order to “advance” talks.
It was not immediately clear when David Barnea would travel to Doha for the latest round of indirect discussions between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier on Saturday, an Israeli official said some progress had been made, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, to reach a deal in Gaza.
The mediators are making renewed efforts to halt fighting in Gaza and free the remaining Israeli hostages held there before Mr Trump takes office.
A deal would also involve the release of some Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Families of Israeli hostages welcomed Mr Netanyahu’s decision to dispatch the officials, with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters describing it as a “historic opportunity”.
Mr Witkoff arrived in Doha on Friday and met the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.
Egyptian and Qatari mediators received reassurances from Mr Witkoff that the US would continue to work towards a fair deal to end the war soon, Egyptian security sources said, though no further details were released.
Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed across its borders in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Families of the roughly 100 hostages still held in Gaza are pressing Mr Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring their loved ones home.
Since then, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, with much of the area destroyed and gripped by a humanitarian crisis, with most of its population displaced.
Pope Francis has been honoured with America’s highest civilian award by President Joe Biden, who has described the pontiff as “a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world”.
It is the first time Mr Biden, 82, has given the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction during his four years in office.
In a statement, the White House said the award is “presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours”.
Mr Biden had been scheduled to present the medal to Pope Francis, 88, in person on Saturday in Rome on what was to be the final overseas trip of his presidency. But the president cancelled his visit to monitor the California wildfires.
The White House said Mr Biden bestowed the award during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.
The award can be presented with or without distinction.
Mr Biden presented the medal of freedom – without distinction – on 5 January to several people including fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, humanitarian and U2 singer Bono, fashion designer Ralph Lauren and actors Michael J Fox and Denzel Washington.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Mr Biden himself is a recipient of the award with distinction, recognised when he was vice president by then president Barack Obama in a surprise ceremony eight years ago.
The citation for the pope’s honour said his “mission of serving the poor has never ceased”.
“A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths,” it added.