Comments on: The Most Mispronounced Word in D.C.

By: The One and Only Ridor

The One and Only Ridor — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:17:52 +0000

I'm not good with pronouncation nor cared so much about it. After all, I'm Deaf individual who does not rely on speech or lipreading on daily basis. But I do notice that people do mistyped Gallaudet as "Galludet", "Galluadet" or "Gallauadet" -- most notably one is at New York Avenue-Gallaudet metro station -- you'll see the wording that reads: "GALLUADET" Go figure. R-

By: BR

BR — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:46:26 +0000

Tom, It's supposed to be a short a, as in "gal" (the word for girl). That's the correct way to pronounce Gallaudet (or short "a" like "pal"). The vowel in the "gall" of "gall bladder" actually is not even an "a" sound at all. That sound is like the "ou" sound in "ought" or "bought". That's not the same "a" vowel in the first syllable of "Gallaudet". Even though both terms (gall bladder and Gallaudet) Both start with the written letters G-A-L-L, but actually the vowels in those two terms are completely different.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:50:24 +0000

As a deaf person, I went to Gallaudet University. I have always pronounced it as Gal-luh-det. I think the reason why I pronounce that was the spelling looks like I needed to say Gall-u-det, as in how we pronounce gall bladder.

Go Gallaudet Bisons!

By: chiclet

chiclet — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:09:12 +0000

yes! even my father who has lived in dc for 44 years mispronounces it as gal-yoo-det. (um.... it's gal-yoo-det. face it)

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:56:29 +0000

How about Baltimore? I keep hearing people around here say "ball-tah-more." Anyone who's actually been there knows it's really pronounced "bawl'mer."

By: KCinDC

KCinDC — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:37:29 +0000

Don't forget "Dewpoint Circle", but maybe that was just one Metro driver.

By: Arjewtino

Arjewtino — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:12:17 +0000

I was going to say Glover (actually pronounced gluh-ver) Park but I agree with Aaron. Elephant Plaza is NOT a name, people.

By: David Alpert

David Alpert — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:11:43 +0000

How about 'Grosvenor'? Also, almost every Metro operator mispronounces 'Judiciary Square' as 'Ju-dish-ya-rury' or something like that.

By: Aaron S

Aaron S — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:03:56 +0000

Is it really more mispronounced than L'Enfant?

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:01:20 +0000

If you mispronounce a word and nobody who cares can hear, did you really mispronounce it?