Remember when you first came across the name “Descartes”, and never realised that was how you spell “Day-cart”? This happens to me all the time.
I constantly have trouble pronouncing things. I spend so much of my time “hearing” about things in print, that I inevitably come up against words I cannot pronounce. Up until recently I just had to spit out my own pronunciation and hope it didn’t discredit me too much. But no more!
I introduce to you:
Inogolo prevents any more of those awful moments where you say “don quicks-o-tee” and everyone gets a little awkward.
Just type in the name, place, or “stuff” you want to know how to pronounce, and inogolo gives you the correct pronunciation, along with a sufficient definition.
So, I just tried it with “Chuck Palahniuk”… I’d previously been pronouncing it “Pall-ahn-yuk”… Turns out it’s “Pall-uh-nik”… In my defence, my previous pronunciation was much less ridiculous than some I’ve heard, like ”Pa-laz-nik” (where’s the z!?), or “Pa-lah-niu-mik” (magical extra syllable)…
A useful site, indeed–nice find! The Palahniuk problem is one that came up for me repeatedly (the consensus around me had originally been “Palla-nuck”). Another one was Paulo Coelho (KOO-AL-yoo), whom I no longer have to refer to as Mr. Brazillian Guy.