[Ads-l] Question on Pronunciation Peeving

[Baker, John]

Is there a word for the discomfort that some people feel when hearing a pronunciation that they find unpleasant?  This is a question from my daughter and arose in the context of a discussion she had with her boyfriend on the correct pronunciation of "pecan" and "aluminum/aluminium."  Each found the other's pronunciation not just wrong, but unpleasant to hear. I suggested that the term they were looking for was "peeving," but that is a broader term mostly applied to usage rather than pronunciation.  They are looking for something that is specific to pronunciation.


John Baker


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