"You've probably been there. Standing in a meeting or at a dinner party, listening to someone speak with such clarity and precision that you think, "Wow, they really know their stuff." Then they drop a word that makes you do a double-take. Not because it's pretentious, but because you suddenly realize you've been saying it wrong your entire life. I noticed this pattern after interviewing over 200 people for various articles."
"The most intelligent ones, the ones who could break down complex ideas into digestible insights, they all had this subtle tell. They pronounced certain words correctly while most of us butchered them without even knowing it. It's not about showing off. These words have simply become second nature to them through years of reading, discussing ideas, and yes, probably being corrected at some point themselves. The difference is they paid attention and adjusted."
Interviews with over 200 people show that the most intelligent individuals can break down complex ideas and often pronounce certain words correctly while most people mispronounce them. Correct pronunciation often becomes second nature through years of reading, discussing ideas, and receiving corrections. Mispronunciations reveal how people consume information visually rather than aurally, causing written forms to influence spoken guesses and habits. Common mispronunciations spread socially until they become office norms, such as saying "supposably" instead of "supposedly." Seven words frequently trip people up; the first example, "epitome," is pronounced ih-PIT-oh-mee rather than ep-i-tome.
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