Also, half my office says Chipotle wrong whenever we order there. Chi-POL-tee, oh my god.

Yeah, that makes me bonkers.

There are no police reports, and the writer spoke to no one (or didn't quote anyone) from DYFS or anyone who could possibly refute the father's claims.

There are enough references to what "they" say for me to infer that they believe in "spare the rod and spoil the child" and probably have enough other wackaloon theories of child care to constitute abuse. It's not being Christian that's the problem; it's being crazy. I don't think it's unusual to ask parents not to talk about when the family is back together, because it may be giving the children false hope and keeping them from moving forward where they are. Poor kids.

The first word I recall mispronouncing was lapel. After more than 70 years, my mother is still mad about being mocked by a teacher for pronouncing "choir" as "chore."

Speaking of things I generally try to have a good public face for: So, the goth musician Voltaire. I like his work, but I will admit that outselling his "What Is Goth?" book is/was one of my goals.

Apparently in 2009, he had Alchemy Gothic design a key pendant for him to sell as merch: [link]

Heeeeeey, that bat design looks kinda ... familiar. Like, really familiar. But, no way to prove it.

Ugh. And now, "christians aren't allowed to adopt in the UK!"

"Seque" and "epitome" for me, too!

What drove my sister bonkers was that I'd pull out words like that in third and fourth grade and use them correctly. I might mangle to pronunciation sometimes, but I knew what they meant. She was older than me, so it was a good way to annoy her endlessly, which is a younger sister's sworn duty.

Okay, Cambridge dictionary says "in-co-ate". Phew, I'm good. [link]

Merriam-Webster says "in-KOH-ut." Phew, I'm good. [link]

Hee. I think less "brah" and more "b," right?

The "ah" is basically an exhalation of breath. But it sounds wrong if you stop at the r.

Steph, we were discussing that unpronouncable designer just yesterday. This chick, calls him "On-yay." [link]

Hee. I think less "brah" and more "b," right?

I thought it sounded like you were about to do the whole brah sound but then you sort of stifle on the br bit.

I gave up on trying to pronounce Louisiana names until I heard them. Hebert, anyone?

Here's a thing I have about being wrong. I try to not unequivocally say I am right unless I've seen enough facts that I'm convinced. If I'm kinda unsure, or haven't read enough or don't know enough to interpret what I've read, I do the whole, "I'm pretty sure it's this, but I could be wrong." And I like to discuss things and still argue my point of view.

However, if I'm convinced, I am immovable. This often leads people to tell me, "You always argue when you think you're right." Which, no, I argue when it's interesting just not as intensely. Why would I argue intensely if I didn't think I was right?

I gave up on trying to pronounce Louisiana names until I heard them. Hebert, anyone?

This is why proper nouns are a whole nother story -- the right way to pronounce them is however the people who live there say it! Or however the person says it, if it's their own name.

I have to check myself every time I say hyperbole out loud, because I still pronounce it hyperbowl in my head.

I'm similar with February and Wednesday. I know how to pronounce them correctly, but I mis-pronounce them in my head for spelling purposes.