Have You Been Pronouncing These Food Names Wrongly? Oh, YES, You Have!
Have you ever quietly mumbled the name of your desired delicacy when ordering at a restaurant, simply because you weren't sure of its pronunciation? It's okay if you have because we've all been there. But not anymore. Check out the correct way to say these commonly mispronounced foods!
By Judith Yeoh
This highly nutritious berry, native to tropical regions of Central and South America, recently gained popularity as a “superfood.”
This word deserves all the butchering it gets just for the obnoxious way it was spelled. Both ah-SI-ee and ah-SAH-ee are correct.
Image via hellawella.comThere is no “niece” sound in the pronunciation of this licorice-flavored plant, which also produces seeds that are used in cooking. Star anise comes from a different plant, but the second word is pronounced the same way.
A Vietnamese sandwich often made with pork on a baguette-style roll.
Don’t beat yourself up for this one. How were you supposed to pronounce a word that ended in “nh” anyway? The best MOST OF US can do is BON-me, and yes, the emphasis is on the first syllable.
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There’s no “brush” sound in the name of this Italian dish of grilled bread with toppings.
You might get away with ordering broo-SHET-uh here in the states, but don’t even think about saying it in Italy.
Image via buzzfed.comThis isn’t about that silent “t.” The beginning of the word is the problem, since many people say BUFF-ay instead of BOO-fay.
The “ah” sound is important. It is not [KAR-mehl].
To that stubborn group of people still saying CAR-mel, we are begging you: LET. IT. GO. It’s KEHR-ah-mehl or KAR-ah-mehl. Three syllables. And there are four syllables in caramelize.
Image via hellawella.comThe emphasis can also be placed on the last syllable when pronouncing this French word that refers to a variety of deli-style meats.
This word, which is the name of a chili pepper and a popular restaurant chain, is often mispronounced by people who transpose the ‘T’ and the ‘L’ sounds. It is not [chi-POLT-ay].
Apparently there are people out there who say “chi-POL-tay.” If you’re one of them, kindly correct yourself or step out of the burrito line.
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A classic French dish of chicken and vegetables cooked in red wine.
Please don’t attempt to order “cock” at that nice French bistro you’ve been wanting to try — even though that is technically what you’re ordering (i.e., rooster).
Image via hellawella.comIf you can't roll a French "r", the best bet is to substitute a "w". If you say "cwa-son", that'll be close enough.
Unless you’re French, you probably say cruh-SAHNT. If you want to pretend you’re French, say CWA-sohn. But we will judge you a little.
Image via hellawella.comA fancy word for raw vegetables often served with dip.
No one correctly pronounces this French word for raw veggies with dip on their first try.
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Whether you’re morally opposed to this fattened goose liver or not, this is how you say the word.
You’re not likely to find this one on the menu in California anyway, but it’s FWAH-GRAH, not foy grass.
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This clarified butter used in your nearby mamak cuisine is not pronounced with a ‘J’ sound. It’s pronounced like “glee” without the “L.”
Like that show you “don’t like” that has a bunch of high school kids singing popular songs, only without the “L.”
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That’s the Greek pronunciation, but it’s also OK to say [JEER-oh]. Just don’t pronounce it like “hero” or put a “guy” in the first syllable.
We’ll allow YEER-oh or JEER-oh, but if you say GUY-roh, we’re going to eat your YEER-oh in retaliation.
Image via buzzfed.comIt’s also OK to pronounce the ‘H’ at the beginning when talking about this chili pepper.
If you really want to get finicky, you shouldn’t pronounce the “h" in habanero.
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If you’re talking about a chewy cookie made with almonds or coconut, it’s [mack-uh-ROON]. If you’re talking about the fancy French meringue sandwich cookie, it can also be pronounced [mack-uh-RON].
A Greek layered dish with eggplant and ground meat.
You’ve probably been placing the emphasis on the second syllable, but it’s actually on the third.
Image via hellawella.comA New Orleans specialty, a sandwich with sliced meat and an olive relish. Some incorrectly pronounce the first syllable “muff.”
A type of French olive and a type of salad that contains olives, tuna, green beans and other goodies.
A Spanish dish with rice and a variety of meats, such as sausage, chicken, ham, and seafood.
A Vietnamese noodle dish. Many pronounce this to rhyme with “go.” Yo, no, it’s not [foe].
This Vietnamese noodle dish does not rhyme with “yo.” It should sound like the beginning of a certain four-letter word.
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Gordon Ramsay might look snooty as hell saying ree-SOT-toe on “MasterChef,” but he’s right.
While the rest of us barbarians are going around saying ree-ZOH-toe, Ramsay knows not to use a “z” or long O sound in the second syllable.
Image via hellawella.comAh, it's okay, we thought it was SAH-kee too...
Technically it’s SAH-kay if you want to pronounce it like they do in Japan.
Image via hellawella.comAnd here we thought it's pronounced as SAH-mon! Sigh.
This is why the English language is so damn frustrating. The “l” in “salmon” is silent. Why? Absolutely no reason.
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